Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol advance to women's 400m hurdles semi-finals at Paris 2024
The Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol show is under way at Paris 2024 after both athletics stars comfortably made the women's 400m hurdles semi-finals.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol are the two fastest women in history as the only female hurdlers to have ever gone sub-51 seconds, and they are set for a mammoth showdown in Thursday’s final.
First, though, they have to get there, and in the heats world record holder and Olympic champion McLaughlin-Levrone breezed through with a 53.60 to make the semis.
Meanwhile, reigning world champion Bol – who won in Budapest last year in McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence – ran 53.38 to go fastest overall, with both easily capable of going at least a second quicker once the heat turns up.
The repechage round takes place on Monday morning, with the semi-finals on Tuesday evening before the women’s 400m hurdles final is held on Thursday (8 August).
Rushell Clayton will be out to prove she is not merely the best of the rest behind Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone, and the Jamaican was the first contender to take to the track on Sunday.
In the first of five heats, Clayton – bronze medallist in the worlds last year – crossed the line first in 54.32.
USA’s Jasmine Jones then won the second heat, outlining her podium potential with a 53.60, before Bol - fresh off the back of winning gold in the 4 x 400m relay - went out next to huge cheers at the Stade de France.
Bol had come flying back to win a thrilling gold for the Dutch on the final relay leg on Saturday night, and this time around she managed her energy and coasted over the line in first with a time of 53.38.
“I would like to sleep now!” Bol, who ran 50.95 in July, told BBC. “I really feel the Olympic spirit, it feels so amazing, but now I have enough time to rest.”
American Anna Cockrell then joined compatriot Jones in winning her heat, telling Olympics.com afterwards: “That was good, it was very exciting. I feel really good, a couple of things to clean up.
“I know at least two corrections my coach will have for me. This was a really good first round. In Tokyo I was very wide eyed and jittery so it was nice to go out here and feel ready and experienced.”
It was then time for their superstar American teammate to take centre stage.
McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her own world record at the U.S. trials in June, swayed from side to side at the start and looked completely in the zone as her name was called out.
From there, she shot out of the blocks and flew past her rivals in the outside lanes, only stumbling slightly on the final bend before crossing the line first in 53.60.