US track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the second fastest time ever to win a stunning gold in the women’s 400 metres at the world championships on Thursday.

The 26-year-old American clocked 47.78sec on a rain-slicked Tokyo track to smash the previous championship record of 47.99sec set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of then-Czechoslovakia in 1983.

Defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Marileidy Paulino took silver in a Dominican Republic record of 47.98sec — the third fastest of all time. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser claimed bronze in 48.19sec.

“It was really about trying to stay as relaxed as possible,” said McLaughin-Levrone, who credited her coach Bobby Kersee with her transition from the 400m hurdles, in which she won two Olympic golds and holds the world record.

“At the end of

See Full Page