Marita Koch flew down the track in Canberra in October 1985. The athlete from what was then East Germany ran a lap of the 400 meters in an unreal 47,60, setting what would become one of the world's longest-lasting records.
This incredible achievement was overshadowed twenty years later by the discovery that athletes from the GDR were systematically doped by the state without their knowledge, and although Marita was never officially accused, great suspicion still hangs over her record.
What kind of time this is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that until this September, only one other athlete had managed to finish 400 meters in under 48 seconds - the legendary Jarmila Kratohvilova (47,99).
And then, 40 years after Marita Koch, a girl appeared capable of going under 48, possibly in the future and breaking her record. And, this girl who until this year dominated the 400 meters, but with hurdles - the great Sydney McLaughlin-Levron.
Although she is only 26 years old, Sydney is one of the greatest ever, after all, she has broken the world record in the 400-meter hurdles six times - the last at the Olympic Games last year when she went to 50,37 seconds.
It seemed then that her next goal would be to go below the - not so long ago unthinkable - 50 seconds mark in that discipline, but Sydney had other plans and appeared in the 400-meter race at this year's World Championships.
With or without hurdles, McLaughlin-Levron showed that there is only one queen in the one-lap race - she won the gold medal in 47,78, and even "forced" Marylady Paulino to go under 48 (47,98).
"You don't achieve these kinds of results without great women following you," McLaughlin-Levron was humble after winning gold and setting a world championship record.
The most credit for her miraculous results goes to Bobby Kersey, the legendary coach who made Sydney the greatest competitor ever in the 400 hurdles, and now she is on her way to doing the same in the 400 meters.
"This was a race unlike any other, Bobby often uses boxing terms, so he told me I had to go out and win a belt that wasn't mine," McLaughlin-Levron explained.
The magical sub-50 hurdles mark or the final demolition of Marita Koch - it seems that Sydney and Bobby have not yet decided what the next step towards history is.
In any case, with this incredible competitor, both miracles are possible. After all, she has won in the last 19 races in which she has appeared in the 400 meters with or without hurdles.
"I think this 47,78 tells her she can go under 50 with the hurdles," Kersi said.
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