Mercy Oketch Crashes Out as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Sends Strong Warning With World Lead to Set Up Grand 400m Final

Olympics 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made a great statement of intent when she clocked a world leading time to make it into the 400m final at the 2025 World Championships on Tuesday.

In the final heat of the semi-finals at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, McLaughlin-Levrone, who is doubling at the 2025 edition in the 400m hurdles as well, clocked a time of 48.29 for first place, the quickest time over the heats as she left her rivals in her wake.

The American had no equals in Heat 3 with second-placed Amber Anning, also from the United States, coming home in a season’s best 49.38, as Jamaican Nickisha Pryce also clocked a season’s best, managing 49.46 seconds, for third place.

In the opening heat, world and Olympics champion Marileidy Paulino made sure that her place in the final was safe when she eased home after finishing second in a race she should have won were it not for slowing down at the line.

Paulino commanded the race and was on course to victory but opted to slow down just before she crossed the line, allowing Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka to nick first in a time of 49.67, a season’s best, as she clocked 49.82 for the final automatic ticket to the final.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Mercy Oketch missed out on a place in the final when she finished in seventh place in Heat 2 which was won by Nigerian-born Bahraini Salwa Eid Naser.

Naser took command of the race from the start up to the end, winning in 49.47 seconds, ahead of Roxana Gomez of Cuba, who claimed the final direct ticket in a time of 49.78 seconds, as American Isabella Whittaker timed 50.20 seconds for third place.

Oketch managed a time of 51.36 seconds for seventh place as she crushed out in disappointing fashion.

It sets up an epic final between McLaughlin-Levrone, Paulino and Naser who are favourite for the podium positions.