**Title: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Sets World’s Best Time in U.S. 400m Final**
*EUGENE, Oregon* — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a rising star in track and field, delivered an astounding performance at the U.S. flat 400m final, setting the world’s best time of the year. The 21-year-old athlete crossed the finish line in just 48.74 seconds, becoming the second-fastest American in history and narrowly missing the American record set by Sanya Richards-Ross at the 2012 Olympics.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s remarkable achievement comes after her historic success in the 400m hurdles. In 2021, she broke the world record in both the Olympic Trials and the Tokyo Games. Continuing her dominance, she replicated her record-breaking success at both the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships and the world championships in 2022.
Notably, this year marked McLaughlin-Levrone’s transition to the flat 400m event, making her recent performance even more exceptional. The athlete expressed her determination to challenge herself and emulate the greats in the sport.
With her second-place finish in the U.S. 400m final, McLaughlin-Levrone now leads the women’s 400m team for the upcoming world championships in Budapest. Joining her on the team are Britton Wilson and Talitha Diggs. As the defending champion, McLaughlin-Levrone also has a bye into the 400m hurdles event and will decide which event to compete in during the championships.
Heading into the U.S. 400m final, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic held the world’s best time of the year at 48.98 seconds. Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the Olympic and world champion from the Bahamas, has also made a return to competition but has not yet confirmed her participation at worlds.
In other notable results from the championships, Nia Ali secured victory in the 100m hurdles with a impressive time of 12.37 seconds. Ali, a 34-year-old athlete, has successfully returned to the track after multiple childbirths and continues to excel in her career.
Nikki Hiltz emerged as the champion in the women’s 1500m event, making it a triple crown of national titles for her in 2023. She had previously won the indoor 1500m in February and the road mile in April. Athing Mu, who currently holds the focus on the 800m event, may consider doubling up with the 1500m at the world championships.
In the men’s events, Yared Nuguse clinched victory in the 1500m. Nuguse has had an outstanding year, achieving several notable milestones in his career. He aims to secure a medal at the world championships and currently stands as the world’s third-fastest man in the event.
Field events also produced surprises, with Sam Kendricks and KC Lightoot tying for fourth place in the pole vault and missing out on a spot on the world team. Reigning world champion Chase Ealey finished fourth in the shot put. On the men’s side, Bryce Deadmon won the 400m race, while world champion Michael Norman has yet to confirm his participation at worlds.
Despite facing setbacks and injuries, several athletes showcased their resilience and determination. Emma Coburn, a steeplechase specialist, was bested by Krissy Gear in the 3000m steeplechase, denying her an 11th national title. Meanwhile, Devon Allen overcame injury to qualify for the semifinals of the 110m hurdles.
The USATF Outdoor National Championships will conclude on Sunday with the live coverage available on various platforms, including CNBC, NBCSports.com/live, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock.
*Note: Parts of this article have been quoted from the original source for accuracy and attribution purposes.