Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 400m hurdles world record holder and Olympic champion, finished just 0.05 seconds short of Sanya Richards-Ross’ 2006 record in the open 400m at the USATF NYC Grand Prix on June 9.
Her time of 48.75 seconds was impressive, but it fell short of the American record. McLaughlin-Levrone’s time was the fastest in the world this year, although she missed the record.
Her fellow American and world champion, Noah Lyles, followed her into the limelight, winning the men’s 200-metre race with an incredible 19.77 time to cap off an exciting competition day.
The NYC Grand Prix included upsets and injury drama before of the US Olympic Trials.
The NYC Grand Prix was one of the last competitive events before the much-awaited U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, which would take place from June 21 to June 30. For American track and field competitors, it was an important and exciting stage.
Athletes vying for the opportunity to represent their country on the biggest platform in the world displayed extraordinary talent and fierce competition, creating an atmosphere of heightened excitement and anticipation.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the defending Olympic champion from Jamaica, unexpectedly finished last in the 100 metres with a timing of 11.48 seconds, seemingly suffering from a right foot injury.
A dominant force in the sport, Thompson-Herah was carried from the track, shocking onlookers. She later talked about the event on social media, saying that she “felt something uncomfortable” during the race and that she is currently waiting for medical advice to find out how serious the problem is.
In a shocking turn of events, 2022 world champion Fred Kerley deliberately withdrew from the men’s 100-metre race following two false starts, expressing his displeasure with the calibre of the starting blocks.
Kerley’s withdrawal raised the stakes in the tournament by confirming he had not been disqualified. Nigerians dominated the sprint events, as Favour Ofili won the women’s 100-metre event in 11.18 seconds and Udodi Onwuzurike won the men’s 100-metre event in 10.24 seconds.