Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will compete in a formidable women’s 200-meter field at the 2024 USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix at UCLA’s Drake Stadium on Saturday.
The field boasts notable athletes, including USA’s world silver medalist Gabby Thomas, and former NCAA standouts Abby Steiner and Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke.
McLaughlin-Levrone Races Over 200m Again
American McLaughlin-Levrone, who recorded a wind-aided 22.38 seconds (2.9m/s) in her last 200m race at the Occidental Invitational, will aim to build on that performance but the world 400m hurdles record holder faces tough competition from her compatriots.
Read more: How to watch the 2024 USATF LA Grand Prix Distance Classic?
Gabby Thomas, the World Championships silver medalist and the second-fastest woman this season with a 2024 best time of 22.08 seconds, leads the entrants. Thomas has been in very good form this season, with the 27-year-old also running 50.37 secs for the 400m, and a wind-aided 10.88 seconds (2.2m/s) for the 100m.
Former Texas sprinter Adeleke is also in good form entering the 2024 USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, following impressive performances at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas. She holds a season’s best of 22.61 seconds for the 200m and clocked a wind-aided 10.84 seconds (3.5 m/s) in the 100m last month.
Three-time NCAA champion Abby Steiner, who ran a wind-aided 22.71 seconds (3.0 m/s) in Bermuda, and teammate Jenna Prandini will also compete as they continue to prepare for the Paris Olympic Games later this summer.
Other participants include USA’s 2019 world silver medalist Brittany Brown, Kendall Ellis, Bahrain’s Edidiong Odiong, and Iran’s Maryam Toosi.
