Sydney McLaughlin of New Jersey broke her own world record as American women finished 1-2 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo on Wednesday.
McLaughlin clocked a time of 51.46 in the dazzling race, edging teammate Dalilah Muhammad (51.58) and Femke Bol of the Netherlands (52.03). Muhammad’s time also bested the world record mark of 51.90 that McLaughlin set in June at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
The Americans are friendly rivals who inspire each other to be better.
“You need somebody who’s going to push you to be your best, and I think that’s what we do so well,” McLaughlin said. “It’s iron sharpening iron. Every time we step on the track it’s always something fast.”
The two medals in the race took the total for the United States to 79 for the Games, ahead of China (70), Russia Olympic Committee (53), Great Britain (48) and Japan (40). The Chinese, with 32 gold medals, continue to lead in that category, followed by the U.S. (25), Japan (21), and Great Britain and Australia (tied at 15).
Four days of competition remain.
In other action Wednesday in Tokyo:
— Canadian Andre de Grasse held off a trio of Americans to win the men’s 200-meter run. He crossed the line in 19.62 seconds, just ahead of Kenneth Bednarek (19.68) and pre-Olympics favorite Noah Lyles (19.74). Erriyon Knighton, a 17-year-old from Florida, was fourth.
After years of finishing second best to Usain Bolt, de Grasse had tears after the race.
“It’s my first time being so emotional on the track,” he said. “I always thought I came up short winning bronze and silver, so it’s just good to have that gold medal. No one can take that away from me.”
–Youth ruled in the finals of the first-ever women’s park skateboarding event. The big sister of the group, 19-year-old Sakura Yosozumi of Japan, won gold. Her teammate, 12-year-old Kokona Hiraki, won the silver medal, with British 13-year-old Sky Brown earning the bronze. Hiraki, at 12 years and 343 days, was the youngest Olympic medalist since 1936.
–Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half as the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team advanced to the semifinals with a 79-55 victory over Australia.
Stewart made 8 of 10 shots from the floor for the Americans, who improved to 53-0 in Olympic competition dating back to the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona. Team USA returns to action in Friday’s semifinals against Serbia, which posted a 77-70 win over China.
–American Nelly Korda fired a 4-under-par 67 and sits tied for second after a steamy first round of the women’s golf event. Korda and India’s Adita Ashok are one stroke behind the leader, Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom (66), at Kasumigaseki Country Club. South Korea’s Jin Young Ko shot a 68 and is tied for fourth with Matilda Castren of Finland and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda.
With a heat index soaring above 110 degrees, Korda survived a chaotic opening nine that featured four birdies and two bogeys, rebounding with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15.
–Field Level Media