LOS ANGELES — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone plans on defending her title in the 400-meter hurdles at the Paris Olympics, and has scratched from the 200 and 400-meter flat races that she had originally signed up for.
The world-record holder had been entered in all three races for this month’s U.S. Olympic trials, but as of Tuesday, she was listed as a “scratch” in the 200 and 400.
“I think we kind of just knew we wanted to come back to the hurdles,” McLaughlin-Levrone told The Associated Press at a media gathering to roll out Michael Johnson’s new track league. “Last year was fun trying the (400) and kind of dabbling in that, and you know, in the future we might come back to that as well, but I think this is kind of just our focus right now.”
Last month, McLaughlin-Levrone’s coach, Bobby Kersee, hinted at the move, calling the hurdles her “No. 1 event.”
Then, later in May, McLaughlin-Levrone ran her first 400 hurdles race in nearly two years. She finished in a time of 52.70, which gave her the Olympic standard.
Earlier this month, McLaughlin-Levrone ran a 400 flat in 48.75 seconds — the third fastest time in U.S. history.
This year, the 24-year-old has raced in five different events — the 100 and 400 hurdles, the 200 and 400 flat and the 4×100 relay. She also has an Olympic gold medal in the 4×400 relay.
Ever since winning at the Tokyo Olympics, she has hinted at switching events, and her intention has been a mystery to most track fans up until the last few weeks.
There was virtually no chance of her running in the 400 flat and hurdles because the schedules for those races overlap at the Olympics.
McLaughlin-Levrone first broke the world record at Olympic trials in 2021 and has lowered it three times since, most recently to 50.68 seconds at 2022 world championships in Eugene, Oregon — the site of the trials that begin Friday.
She was injured during last year’s world championships, opening the door for Femke Bol of the Netherlands to take the title. Bol will be McLaughlin-Levrone’s biggest challenger in Paris.
The first round of the 400 hurdles at trials is June 27.
She called the hurdles “my first love, per se.”
“So, just feeling strong, feeling healthy and getting ready for these trials,” she said.
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
