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Olympics 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has shared reasons behind her controversial decision to run at the Diamond League final.
Olympics 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone says she feels physically and mentally fresh and that is why she opted to run at the Diamond League final this weekend.
The American was supposed to be the headline act at the Brussels Diamond League but her participation met resistance after an outcry from fans who pointed out that she is yet to feature in any meeting this season, one of the requirements to run at the final.
That forced Diamond League organizers to retreat but they have set up “two special races” to celebrate the 25-year-old’s achievements, including her world record in the 400m hurdles in Paris.
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12:30 - 11.09.2024
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reveals ambitious targets ahead of her two 'special' races in Brussels
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has disclosed what she wants to achieve when she competes in the extra 200m and 400m in Brussels after being excluded from the main Diamond League Meeting programme.
McLaughlin-Levrone will run the 200m and 400m but her races are not part of the main programme where a Diamond League Trophy and $30,000 is at stake but she is still happy to be running anyway.
"My husband and I went to Greece to relax for a week. That was necessary after those fantastic Olympic Games, which I had been working towards for so long,” she said.
“I feel very grateful for what I was able to experience in Paris. After that, we returned to Los Angeles. But because I still feel physically and mentally fresh, I wanted to run one more meeting to close the season.”
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13:44 - 11.09.2024
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Brussels will be the first competition for the 25-year-old since breaking a world record to set a new mark of 50.37 to win gold in the 400m hurdles in Paris where she was also part of Team USA that claimed the 4x400m relay crown.
McLaughlin-Levrone is targeting to lower her personal best of 48.74, set at Hayward Field in July last year with her eyes also on the current US record of 48.70, held by Sanya Richards-Ross.
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