Overview

• Marileidy Paulino took silver in a Dominican Republic record 47.98, with Salwa Eid Naser earning bronze in 48.19.
• The final in rainy Tokyo produced the first championship race in which two women ran under 48 seconds.
• McLaughlin-Levrone had lowered the American record to 48.29 in the semifinals before winning the final in 47.78.
• With this victory, she becomes the first athlete to win world titles in both the women’s 400m flat and 400m hurdles.
• Marita Koch’s 47.60 world record from 1985 still stands and remains a focal point given the era’s documented East German doping program.