McLaughlin-Levrone sets world lead on return to 400m hurdles

Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stepped up her preparations for a title defence at this year's Paris Games on Friday, running a world-leading time of 52.70 seconds in her first 400 metres hurdles race in over a year.

McLaughlin-Levrone, the 400-meter hurdles world record holder, last competed in August 2022.

The 24-year-old showed no signs of rust at the Edwin Moses Classic in Atlanta, easily outpacing her competitors to beat Jamaican Rushell Clayton's previous season-leading time of 53.72 by more than a second.

"It's a progression, you know. Shaking the rust off after two years - I'll take a 52.7," McLaughlin-Levrone said after the race.

"There are things to work on and I haven't had much hurdle practice, so there's things to improve."

McLaughlin-Levrone, who missed last year's World Championships due to a knee injury, has been competing solely in the United States in preparation for this month's US Olympic Team Trials.

"I love racing and I love Europe, but I think in a year like this and coming back from injury last year I just wanted to be safe," McLaughlin-Levrone said.

"Travel can take a lot out of the body, and hopefully I can get some more races, but I'm just playing it safe until I get to trials."

SportsLigue