Track stars Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad put on a show Saturday morning at the Tokyo Olympics (Friday night in the U.S.). And in fact, they made the 400-meter hurdles look easy — and that event is definitely anything but.
But after the five opening heats of the event, Team USA’s medal favorites reminded fans why the semifinals and final of this event are must-see events. (The top-4 finishers in each heat and the next four fastest athletes advanced to the semifinals.)
McLaughlin — who broke Muhammad’s world record in June at the U.S. Olympic Trials and lowered it to 51.90 — easily won the third heat of the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.65. And then Muhammad — who won gold in the event at the 2016 Rio Games — comfortably won the fifth heat at 53.97.
GO, SYD, GO!
Sydney McLaughlin cruises to a heat win in the women's 400m hurdles. #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/NFFCml9np7— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
The Rio 2016 gold medalist is off to a strong start!
Dalilah Muhammad wins her heat in the women's 400m hurdles. #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/EPbVrfbnyk— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Look how far ahead McLaughlin and Muhammad are in their respective heats, and neither of them are going at full speed.
And in addition to the pair, Team USA teammate Anna Cockrell finished third in her heat, so all three American women advanced to the semifinals.
The three semifinals for the women’s 400-meter hurdles are set for Monday night in Tokyo (Monday morning in the U.S.).
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