World 400m hurdles record for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

» Subscribe to AW magazine here