TOKYO, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States highlighted the day by smashing the longest-standing event record at the World Athletics Championships here on Thursday, while the women's triple jump final saw Hernandez dethrone four-time world champion and Olympic titleholder Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela.
McLaughlin-Levrone, the two-time Olympic 400 meters hurdles champion, stormed to victory in the women's 400m final in 47.78 seconds, trimming 0.21s off the previous record of 47.99s set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia at the inaugural World Championships in 1983.
"I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400 meters hurdles to the flat 400m, but ultimately, I had faith in my training," said the 26-year-old. "We will need to talk about the schedule for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Maybe I could do both 400m and 400m hurdles."
Reigning Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic clocked a national record of 47.98 for silver, while Bahrain's former world champion Salwa Eid Naser took bronze in a season's best 48.19.
In the men's javelin, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, the London 2012 Olympic champion, produced a season-best throw of 88.16 meters on his fourth attempt to clinch his maiden world title. Grenada's two-time world champion Anderson Peters earned silver with 87.38m, while Curtis Thompson of the United States claimed bronze in 86.67m.
Defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India could only finish eighth with 84.03m, and Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan ranked 10th with 82.75m.
Botswana celebrated in the men's 400m final as 21-year-old Collen Kebinatshipi, a silver medallist in the 4x400m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics, clocked a world-leading 43.53 seconds to win his first world title.
Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago took silver in 43.72 seconds in a new national record time, while Kebinatshipi's compatriot Bayapo Ndori took bronze in a season's best 44.20s.
"This is my first title and it feels crazy," said Kebinatshipi. "Having three athletes from Botswana running this final shows we are growing. We are really improving as Botswana and as Africa."
The women's triple jump final saw Hernandez dethrone Venezuela's Rojas. The 23-year-old Cuban leapt a world-leading 14.94m on her third attempt to seal the title.
Thea LaFond of Dominica set a national record of 14.89m to take silver, marking her country's first-ever medal in the event, while Rojas settled for bronze with 14.76m. ■