Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Eyes Historic 400m, 400m Hurdles Double

Tokyo, Sep 19 (AP) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, renowned for her record-breaking prowess in the 400-meter hurdles, edged closer to making her mark in the 400-meter sprint at the world championships. Would she consider tackling both events if the schedule permitted?

"Yeah, there's been a lot of talk of doubles," McLaughlin-Levrone remarked on Friday. This followed her gold-medal triumph, clocking 47.78 seconds in the 400 finals at the championships. "While it's conceivable, wanting to pursue it is a separate question," she added. This year's schedule at the championships presented challenges, but Olympic organizers have historically adjusted to accommodate legendary athletes such as Michael Johnson and Allyson Felix.

In Los Angeles, McLaughlin-Levrone trains under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Bobby Kersee. Kersee, contemplating a strategy for the LA Games, hinted at pushing the concept. "We missed an opportunity here," he revealed to The Associated Press regarding the Tokyo visit. "Back then, they understood talent and prioritized what fans desire—to witness greatness. They adapted schedules accordingly."

Supposing LA organizers follow suit, McLaughlin-Levrone could embark on a legendary quest. She holds a world record of 50.37 in hurdles and narrowly missed breaking a longstanding 40-year-old East German world record in the 400 by just .19 seconds—a feat many considered unattainable.

On Thursday, alongside Marileidy Paulino, McLaughlin-Levrone achieved another milestone: becoming the first women to dip below 48 seconds in the race since the record was set in 1985.

"I believe anything is possible. It boils down to my goals and what I'm striving to achieve," McLaughlin-Levrone explained. "I aim to position myself to excel at my highest potential. Both events are extraordinarily demanding with strong competitors. Each woman deserves recognition. It's indeed a monumental challenge." (AP) UNG

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)