Lining up in what turned out to be the fastest heat of the day, Sarah Lavin secured an automatic qualifying spot for the semi-finals of the 100 metres hurdles as the penultimate day of action got under way at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The 28 year-old from Limerick, competing for the first time on this stage, needed a top-three position to be sure of progressing — and that she did, nailing third place behind Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who clocked a new African record of 12.40 seconds in first.
Lavin clocked 12.99, plenty good for now as she closed down fast on second-placed Danielle Williams from Jamaica, who ran 12.87. From the three semi-finals in Sunday’s last session (1.10am Irish time), only the top two, plus the two-fastest losers, make the final, that’s set for later in the final session (3am Irish time).
Having made the final of the 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade back in March, Lavin won’t be far off, clearly in the form of her life, winning a seventh national title and breaking her best three times this summer, taking it from 12.95 to 12.94, then 12.93 smashing it again at the Cork City Sports a fortnight ago, running 12.84 to finish second.
Also a Tokyo Olympian, Lavin will be the last Irish interest on the track after the Irish women’s 4x100m team finished eighth in heat one of the Championships overnight on Friday Irish time.
The relatively young team of Joan Healy, Adeyemi Talabi, Lauren Roy and Sarah Leahy were distanced early on against some of the world’s best, clocking 44.48 in a race won by Britain in 41.99.
The USA qualified fastest with a time of 41.56, the next best being Britain (41.99) and Jamaica (42.37). “It’s a fantastic experience, I’m delighted we got it around,” said Roy. “It could have been a faster time but that’s all you can do: try our best, and we did.”
Day nine was unquestionably highlighted by Sydney McLaughlin obliterating her own world record in the 400m hurdles, the 22-year-old US superstar clocking an utterly startling 50.68 seconds, breaking the 51-second barrier for the first time.
A native of New Jersey, McLoughlin has been setting all-time best marks since the age of 13. Still her 50.68 seconds at Hayward Field was sensational on every level, her best mark now nine tenths of a second ahead of the next fastest in history, equating to seven metres on the track.
[ USA’s Sydney McLaughlin smashes her own 400m hurdles world recordOpens in new window ]
Silver went to Femke Bol of the Netherlands in 52.27, with bronze going to the previous world champion Dalilah Muhammad of USA in 53.13.
“I think there’s always more to improve upon,” said McLaughlin. “There’s always more than can be shaven off, for sure. There’s no such thing as a perfect race, but I don’t think that was a super-clean race.”
There was more US success for the home crowd in the men’s 400m where Michael Norman achieved what has long seemed his destiny: a global title, winning in 44.29, with Kirani James second in 44.48 and Hudson-Smith taking bronze for Britain in 44.66.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo also claimed her first World outdoor title with a dominant performance in the women’s 400m, the look on the Bahamian’s face at the finish more relief than elation.
The two-time Olympic champion had company coming off the turn with Sada Williams of Barbados just a step behind along with Marileidy Paulino of Dominican Republic.
Miller-Uibo showed her class down the straight and opened an advantage before she hit the line in a world-leading 49.11, with Paulino taking silver in 49.60 and Williams becoming the first ever Barbadian woman to earn a World Championships medal in third with a national record of 49.75.
