In case you thought operating 400m in underneath 51 seconds was arduous, what about doing it whereas leaping over 10 limitations? Solely two ladies in historical past have ever achieved this feat: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA and Femke Bol of the Netherlands. These two haven’t raced head-to-head since 2022, however will battle it out for the Olympic title on Aug. 8.
McLaughlin-Levrone, reigning Olympic champion and 2022 world champion, returned to the hurdles this 12 months after a knee harm compelled her to take a seat out of her 2023 season. She didn’t let this maintain her again; on the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, she set a brand new world document of fifty.65, smashing her earlier document from 2022. Her time was so quick, it even obliterated the Olympic normal for the 400m occasion with out hurdles.
Glasgow. Photograph: Kevin Morris
Bol flourished within the American’s absence final 12 months, claiming the world title in Budapest, Hungary. Final week in Switzerland, she ran underneath 51 seconds for the primary time, setting a European document of fifty.95. She adopted that up together with her second-fastest time ever, 51.30, on the London Diamond League–that means she is the fittest she has ever been.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol have each gotten aware of dominating the sphere of their occasion, operating most races virtually solo. The Paris twin will come all the way down to which athlete will race their greatest race–dealing with the stress, placing up a battle and responding to the competitors.
Though we’d not be capable of predict the winner, one factor we are able to predict is that this race can be quick. Followers are trying previous only a new world document; all eyes are on that 50-second barrier. The heats of the ladies’s 400m hurdles will start on Aug. 4, with the semi-finals on Aug. 6 and the ultimate scheduled for Aug. 8.
