Sydney Mclaughlin: Photo courtesy of The New York Times
With just one week to go for the World Athletics Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, all eyes will be on this event. If you are a track fan then you don’t need to know why because “Queen Sydney” has taken this event to another level and perhaps may take it even further by pushing the boundaries where no woman has ever gone before. She is the current World Record holder and many cannot wait to see what she has in store when she graces the track. The signs were there when she ran 51.61 seconds in her first 400m hurdles race this year at the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville which was the third fastest time in history. Prior to this race, the 400m hurdles world record holder, had run only one race this year, a 100m hurdles at the Penn Relays in April, which she won with a solid time of 12.75 seconds. However, there were some issues later where it was discovered that the hurdles were placed incorrectly on the track. Sydney’s next race was at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships and she did not disappoint. She looked impeccable in each of her races, heat and semifinal. Track fans knew there was something special in store and she ended day three of the Outdoor Championships in the best way possible by breaking her own 400m hurdles world record running a swift, unchallenged and classy 51.41 seconds, five-hundredths inside her own world record set in last year’s Olympic final. Sydney has the reputation of looking supremely relaxed gliding over the hurdles. She makes it look way too easy so no one will be betting against her not winning the gold medal in this event, breaking the WR and pushing the boundaries by taking this event to another level. It’s as if we are spoiled each time when she graces the track with all eyes directed at the clock in each of her races. Femke Bol, from the Netherlands sits in the number 2 spot on the world list. She has been running superbly since the Indoor season and could challenge Sydney and push her to do some serious damage to the WR. Could we see a mouth-watering time of sub 51 seconds? Femke broke the 300m hurdles record with a sensational time of 36.86 seconds and is getting better with each run. Let’s not forget about the reigning world champion and former world record holder, Dalilah Muhammad. We have not seen much of her since the Outdoor season but she will be ready to go. With a season best of 53.88 seconds, she sits in the number 7 spot on the world list and could make it a 1,2, for the United States just like in the Tokyo Olympic final. Joining Sydney will be newcomer Britton Wilson who keeps churning out PB each time she runs this event. Sitting in the number 3 spot on the world list, she will be looking to make that US sweep. The other United States entrant, Shamier Little, sits in the number 10 spot on the world list. She is no stranger to this event, a former World Championship silver medalist back in 2015, she is hungry for a medal and could shake things up with the placings. This event is scheduled to begin on Day 5, July 19 with the heats followed by the semi-final; on Day 6, July 20 and the final Day 8, July 22. Track fans let’s hear your predictions for Sydney. Could we possible see a time of 50.90 seconds? Take your shot!
Review by Viccarrio Gibbs
