Sydney McLaughlin of the USA won the women’s 400m hurdles gold in world record time

56 seconds

55

54

53

52

51

USA

2021

McLaughlin kicks on to lower her own mark to 51.46 at Tokyo 2020

2021

2019

Sydney McLaughlin set her first world record of 51.9 in June, the first woman to break 52 seconds

2019

2003

Russia

1995

Sally Gunnell became the world record holder by running 52.74 at the World Championships in Stuttgart

Team GB

1993

1986

USSR

1986

East Germany

1985

1984

1983

1980

1979

1978

Tatyana Zelentsova

broke 55 seconds with

54.89 to set her second

world record of 1978

1978

Poland

1978

1977

1977

1974

Sydney McLaughlin of the USA won the women’s 400m hurdles gold in world record time

56 seconds

55

54

53

52

51

McLaughlin kicks on to lower her own mark to 51.46 at Tokyo 2020

USA

2021

2021

Sydney McLaughlin set her first world record of 51.9 in June, the first woman to break 52 seconds

2019

2019

Dalilah Muhammad set a new leading mark twice in 2019

Sally Gunnell became the world record holder by running 52.74 at the World Championships in Stuttgart

Russia

2003

1995

Team GB

1993

USSR

1986

Marina Stepanova dipped under 53 seconds to set her second world record in two months

1986

The first sub-54 second time was recorded in 1984 by Margarita Ponomaryova

East Germany

1985

1984

1983

1980

1979

Tatyana Zelentsova

broke 55 seconds with

54.89 to set her second

world record of 1978

1978

1978

Poland

1978

1977

Krystyna Kacperczyk

held the world record

twice, in 1974 and 1978

1977

1974