Excitement surrounds the women’s 400m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Olympics for many reasons. For starters, Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is expected to lock horns with reigning world champion Femke Bol at the Stade de France for the first time in two years.
After skipping the Worlds last year in order to focus on these Games, McLaughlin-Levrone will also defend her Olympic title as the World Record holder, having beat her previous mark at the U.S. Trials this year in 50.64 seconds.
And She’s already revealed plans to go sub-50 seconds in the French capital.
“It’s really exciting, thinking about how to improve upon history. That’s always something I’m looking at,” she said after breaking the World Record in June.
The 24-year-old will race her signature event, the 400m hurdles, and is expected to make the U.S. team for the 4x400m relay, so as not to exert herself at her third Games.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s coach Bob Kersee told NJ Advance Media that her focus was to defend her title: “The No. 1 goal was to come back and defend her championship. The last time, she went in as the underdog (to USA’s Dalilah Muhammad). This time, she’s coming in as the favourite. Sydney knows what she wants.”
Below is McLaughlin-Levrone’s complete schedule at Paris 2024 and how to watch all the action live.