eugene olympic champion sydney mclaughlin wrote another astonishing chapter in her track and field career on friday obliterating her own world record as she powered to a jawdropping victory in the womens 400m hurdles at the world championships in oregonthe 22yearold american prodigy left rivals trailing in her wake at hayward field as she took gold in a stunning time of 5068sec the first time any woman has ducked under the 51second barriermclaughlins incredible performance sliced more than half a second of her own world record of 5141sec set at the same venue during the us trials last monthfemke bol of the netherlands took silver in 5227sec while mclaughlins teammate and defending champion dalilah muhammad of the united states took bronze in 5313sechonestly i just wanted to go for it mclaughlin said afterwardsthe last 100 really hurt but im grateful to have this crowd go team usabol and muhammad would have had realistic hopes of challenging mclaughlin for gold before the racebut mclaughlin was in a league of her own almost from the gun surging clear of muhammad with a blistering opening 200m and coming off the final bend several meters clear of her rivalsany fears that mclaughlin had gone out too hard over the opening 300 was wiped out down the home stretch as she kicked for home with a vengeance powering through the line to complete one of the greatest performances in track and field historyher astonishing winning time was faster than the seventh and eighth placed times in the womens flat 400m final raced earlier fridaymclaughlin sat crouched on the track after her win seemingly in disbelief at the scale of her own achievement