Dalilah Muhammad breaks world record in 400m hurdles
Doha, Qatar: Dalilah Muhammad shattered the world record in 400m hurdles and she will have to thank team-mate Sydney McLaughlin, who pushed her all the way, for that.
Muhammed, chased by McLaughlin, stormed to the finish line in 52.16 sec to better her own mark of 52.20 set in July.
McLaughlin finished in 52.23 which was a personal best while Rushell Clayton claimed silver in 53.74 in another personal best.
“This means so much. It’s difficult to describe. I just wanted the world title so much but to break the world record again is fantastic,” said Muhammad.
“I just decided to go for it from the start and I felt Sydney coming at me around hurdle nine then I just gave everything I got,” she added.
In another thrilling finish, Conselsius Kipruto of Kenya defeated Lameche Girma to win the 3000m steeplechase gold.
Girma was leading till the final step but Olympic champion Kipruto caught with him right at the tape, finishing in 8:01.35. Girma clocked 8:01.36 and Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco took bronze in 8:03.76.
In men’s 400m, Steven Gardiner of Bahamas powered to gold in 43.48, ahead of Colombian Anthony José Zambrano (44.15). Fred Kerley of the US claimed bronze in 44.17.
Earlier in women’s discus throw, Cuban Yaimé Pérez took gold with a best effort of 69.17. Compatriot Denia Caballero took silver in 68.44 while Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic won bronze in 66.72.
