The 24-year-old runs 50.65 on the final day of the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon
Sydney McLauglin-Levrone showed she’s in the form of her life ahead of the Paris Olympics as she took three hundredths of a second off her own world record for the women’s 400m hurdles in Eugene on Sunday (June 30).
Racing at the end of the final session of the US Olympic Team Trials, the 24-year-old stormed home in 50.65. She has a great history at this event, too, as she set a world record of 51.90 at the US trials in 2021 before improving to 51.41 in the Olympic final in Tokyo and then 50.68 at the World Championships in Oregon in 2022.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Getty)
In comparison, her expected biggest rival in Paris, Femke Bol, has a best of 51.45 set last year, although the Dutch athlete has looked stronger and faster than ever in recent months.
Such was McLaughlin-Levrone’s dominance at the US trials, she won by almost two seconds.
Anna Cockrell was runner-up in 52.64 with Jasmine Jones tking third in a PB of 52.77 – a couple of tenths of a second ahead of Shamier Little.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Getty)
McLaughlin-Levrone set her first world 400m hurdles record at the last US Olympic Trials in 2021, clocking 51.90. She went on to reduce that to 51.46 to win the Olympic title in Tokyo. One year later, she once again set a world record at the US Championships (51.41) en route to revising it on the global stage, winning the 2022 world title in Oregon in 50.68.
The women’s sprint hurdles also saw a quick performance as Masai Russell ran a meeting record and world lead of 12.25 (0.7) to beat Alaysha Johnson and Grace Stark – both athletes clocking 12.31 – with Nia Ali fourth in 12.37 and former world record-holder Keni Harrison only sixth despite running a season’s best of 12.39.
Masai Russell (left) (Getty)
Rai Benjamin was in great form in the men’s 400m hurdles, too, as he won in emphatic style in a meeting record and world leading mark of 46.46. CJ Allen was runner-up in 47.81 with Trevor Bassitt clocking 47.82 in third.
Rai Benjamin (Getty)
Bryce Hoppell ran a meeting record of 1:42.77 in the 800m as he front-ran his way to victory. A quick race saw the 1500m third-placer Hobbs Kessler finish second in 1:43.64 with Brandon Miller third in 1:43.97.
Bryce Hoppell (Getty)
The pace also sizzled in the women’s 1500m with Nikki Hiltz winning in a meeting record of 3:55.33 from Emily Mackay (3:55.90) and Elle St Pierre (3:55.99) with the top eight women breaking four minutes.
Nikki Hiltz (Getty)
Grant Fisher added to his 10,000m victory earlier in the week with a 5000m win in 13:08.85. He broke away with Abdi Nur in the latter stages before out-kicking Nur as Parker Wolfe was a surprise third-placer.
Cole Hocker, the 1500m winner in Eugene, plus contenders like Woody Kincaid and Cooper Teare finished well out of contention.
World pole vault No.1 Molly Caudery from Britain now knows who her US rivals are going to be too as Bridget Williams won on countback from Katie Moon and Brynn King with all three clearing 4.73m. Sandi Morris placed fourth.
Elsewhere, Shelby McEwen won the men’s high jump with 2.30m. Salif Mane took the men’s triple jump with 17.52m. Maggie Malone Hardin won the women’s javelin in a meet record of 64.58m.
Full results here.
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