US track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the second fastest time ever to win a stunning gold in the women's 400 metres at the world championships on Thursday.

The 26-year-old American clocked 47.78sec on a rain-slicked Tokyo track to smash the previous championship record of 47.99sec set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of then-Czechoslovakia in 1983.

Defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Marileidy Paulino took silver in a Dominican Republic record of 47.98sec -- the third fastest of all time. Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser claimed bronze in 48.19sec.

"It was really about trying to stay as relaxed as possible," said McLaughin-Levrone, who credited her coach Bobby Kersee with her transition from the 400m hurdles, in which she won two Olympic golds and holds the world record.

"At the end o

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