RANDALLS ISLAND, NEW YORK, June 09 — As she usually does, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had high expectations at the USATF NYC Grand Prix, where she would be making her season debut in the flat 400. Sanya Richards-Ross’ venerable American Record (48.70) from 2006 was the target at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Though McLaughlin-Levrone came up just short, it was an impressive performance.
She tore through the first half of the race and by the finish she had built a lead of more than 2 seconds on the field. The clock stopped in 48.75, the third-fastest time ever by an American — and just 0.01 off McLaughlin-Levrone’s PR from last year’s USATF Outdoor championships.
“First 400 of the year felt good. It wasn’t exactly what we were hoping for, but sometimes you gotta feel the race, and I’ll take that,” said McLaughlin-Levrone, who says she still intends to run the 400 hurdles at the Olympic Trials in a bid to defend her title in Paris. “It was just a good feel. I’m sure [coach] Bobby [Kersee] will have some notes for me going home.”
Talitha Diggs (50.91) edged Jamaica’s Stacy Ann Williams (50.94) for the (distant) runner-up spot.
Gabby Thomas won the 200 in 22.42 into a formidable -3.1 wind. She didn’t take the lead until about 150 meters, but opened up a sizeable margin at the end, with Tamara Clark (22.79) well back in 2nd. Thomas was doubling back from the 100 after finishing 4th in that race — 11.34, behind Favour Ofili’s 11.18 win against a -2.1 breeze.
“The whole day was good. I feel confident, I feel strong,” said Thomas, silver medalist at the ’23 Worlds. “The headwind was a monster for us today. I am glad that I did the 100 before that 200 because it was shocking. I think that helped me in the 200.”
The surprise winner of the javelin was Kara Winger, who had announced only two days earlier that she was coming out of retirement in a last-minute quest to make her fifth Olympic team. Winger, now 38, had called it a career after a memorable ’22 campaign in which she took World Championships silver and set the current American Record of 223-5 (68.11).
Showing no signs of rust, she opened with 205-6 (62.65), a mark bettered by only one other American this year — Maggie Malone-Hardin’s 213-3 (65.00). Winger then…
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