Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the third-fastest 400m in American history as she continued prep for the Olympic Trials at a windy USATF New York City Grand Prix on Sunday.
McLaughlin-Levrone won in 48.75 seconds — five hundredths off Sanya Richards-Ross’ American record from 2006. McLaughlin-Levrone also ran 48.74 last July.
Afterward, she said she hoped to break the American record.
“Just wanted to get out there, get a race under me,” she told Lewis Johnson on NBC Sports. “The wind was a little interesting on the back stretch, but I’m happy with the time.”
TRACK AND FIELD: Full Results
Though she is the world’s fastest woman in this Olympic cycle in the 400m, McLaughlin-Levrone has repeated over the last month that she plans to race strictly the 400m hurdles at the Olympic Trials, which are June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon.
McLaughlin-Levrone is the reigning Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 400m hurdles and has never raced the flat 400m at a global championship.
This season, she has also raced the 100m hurdles and 200m to prep for her primary event.
“Working on coming home,” she said of Sunday’s race. “Going to need it for those hurdles.”
Also Sunday, three-time world champion Noah Lyles won the men’s 200m in 19.77 into a 1.6 meter/second headwind on the home stretch. The race started after a 10-minute delay due to a starting blocks issue.
Fellow American Kenny Bednarek remains fastest in the world this year with a 19.67 from May 10.
“I think I said yesterday I wanted the world lead (fastest time in the world in 2024),” Lyles said. “I guess the wind had disagreement there.”
Favour Ofili of Nigeria won the women’s 100m in 11.18 into a 2.1 m/s headwind. Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, the two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist, was last in 11.48.
Thompson-Herah limped afterward as she decelerated, then took off her right shoe and was carried away from the track by two men.
“I felt something uncomfortable as I began to push I still tried to go but it got worse,” was posted on her social media.
The Jamaican Olympic Trials are June 27-30.
Unlike the U.S. trials, Jamaica has allowed medical exemptions onto the Olympic team. In 2016, Usain Bolt withdrew during the trials with a hamstring tear and was placed on the Olympic team in the 100m and 200m.
In the men’s 100m, 2022 World champion Fred Kerley was disqualified after a false start while also having a problem with his starting blocks. Udodi Onwuzurike of Nigeria later won in 10.24.
Bahamian Devynne Charlton won the 100m hurdles in 12.56 seconds, beating a field that included world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (third, 12.66) and world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica (fourth, 12.71).
Four-time Olympian Kara Winger won the javelin with a 63.22-meter throw in her first competition since retiring after the 2022 season.
The automatic Olympic qualifying standard in the event is 64 meters, which must be recorded by the end of Olympic Trials. It is possible to make the Olympics without hitting the standard.
