Kebinatshipi and McLaughlin-Levrone make one-lap history in Tokyo

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Busang Collen Kebinatshipi achieved a historic first for Botswana in the men’s 400m, becoming his nation’s first ever world champion in a men’s event on day six at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Collen Kebinatshipi showed that his personal best in the semifinals wasn’t a fluke, going even faster to win the men’s 400m title in Tokyo. He stormed to a world-leading national record of 43.53 to win the 400m and consolidate his place at 10th on the world all-time list.

Kebinatshipi held off Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, who adds his 400m silver in a national record of 43.72 to the world 200m bronze he claimed in London in 2017.

Bayapo Ndori joined his compatriot Collen Kebinatshipi on the podium, clinching bronze for Botswana with 44.20.

Four years after making history in the hurdles on this track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA added her name into the record books again, this time by winning the women’s 400m in a championship record of 47.78.

Elsewhere on day six of the championships, Keshorn Walcott returned to the top of a global podium to take the men’s javelin title, while Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez beat defending champion Yulimar Rojas and Olympic champion Thea Lafond to win the women’s triple jump.

As expected, the women’s 400m came down to a three-way battle between McLaughlin Levrone, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and Nigerian-born 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser. It didn’t disappoint either, as just 0.41 separated the three medallists.

Selected Results:

Men’s 400m Final:

1. Collen Kebinatshipi (BOT) 43.53 NR
2. Jereem Richards (TTO) 43.72 NR
3. Bayapo Ndori (BOT) 44.20

Women’s 400m Final:

1. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 47.78 CR, AR
2. Marileidy Paulino (DOM) 47.98 NR
3. Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) 48.19

Women’s Triple Jump Final:

1. Leyanis Perez Hernandez (CUB) 14.94m
2. Thea Lafond (DMA) 14.89m
3. Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 14.76m

Men’s Javelin Final:

1. Keshorn Walcott (TTO) 88.16m
2. Anderson Peters (GRN) 87.38m
3. Curtis Thompson (USA) 86.67m