MIAMI, FL — Despite showing some dazzling form over the open 400m during the indoor season, hurdles specialist Shamier Little said she will only focus on running the 400m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials later this year.
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Little, the 2015 World Championships silver medalist in the 400m hurdles, has battled through the global COVID-19 pandemic to produce her best-ever indoor form so far, which led to many suggesting that she could consider a 400m and 400m double if she continues to maintain an upward trajectory during the outdoor campaign.
However, the three-time NCAA and twice American 400m hurdles champion who is using the early season to work on both her speed and endurance and has already posted three indoor personal best this campaign, including two in the open 400m, told World-Track that she only intends to contest the 400m hurdles at the American Olympic Trials later this year.
“I am solely focusing on the 400m hurdles for [the U.S. Olympics] trials,” Little revealed to World-Track this week.
The 25-year-old who opened her season with a 52.63 seconds performance at the American Track League Meeting #1 on Jan. 24, improved that mark to 51.33 when winning at the third meeting of the series before impressively dominating the event again at the fourth meeting this past weekend to lower her indoor lifetime best to 50.57.
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It is the third-fastest time in the world this season behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s 50.21 on Feb. 13 and the 50.51 posting by Athing Mu on Feb. 6.
The performance on Sunday is also just 0.17 outside of her outdoor best of 50.40 seconds, and it ranks her No. 7 on the all-time U.S. indoor performer list.
Little also clocked an indoor personal best of 23.40 seconds for the 200m, but her 23.43 opening 200m split for the 400m last Sunday, in an indication that the former Texas A&M standout is in great shape and will be more than capable of lowering her outdoor lifetime best of 23.07.
The USA Olympic trials have been scheduled for June 18-27, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Tokyo Olympic Games is slated to take place in Japan, between July 23 and August 8.
