McLaughlin-Levrone shines in comeback, sets world-leading time in 400m hurdles

ATLANTA: Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone marked her return to the 400 meters hurdles with a world-leading time of 52.70 seconds on Friday, in her first race in over a year. Competing at the Edwin Moses Classic in Atlanta, the 24-year-old world record holder showcased her dominance, surpassing Jamaican Rushell Clayton’s previous season-best of 53.72 by over a second.

“It’s a progression, you know. Shaking the rust off after two years – I’ll take a 52.7,” McLaughlin-Levrone said post-race. “There are things to work on and I haven’t had much hurdle practice, so there’s things to improve.”

Having last competed in the event in August 2022, McLaughlin-Levrone demonstrated no signs of rust. Her performance in Atlanta signifies a strong start as she prepares for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and aims to defend her title at this year’s Paris Games. Despite missing last year’s World Championships due to a knee injury, she has been focused on her training within the United States, setting high expectations for the upcoming competitions.(Reuters)