World record chase continues in New York

For most Jamaicans, the 400 metres race they’ll pay most attention to in tomorrow’s New York Grand Prix is the men’s race. Sean Bailey, the fastest Jamaican of the year at 44.43 seconds, emerging prospect Zandrion Barnes and reliable relay man Karayme Bartley could go 1-2-3 and confirm their readiness for big meets to come. However, the world will probably watch that race and then move to the edge of its seat for the race that follows: the women’s 400m.

That event includes one of the sport’s biggest stars, 400m hurdles queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. This year, McLaughlin is visiting the flat 400m with an eye on the world record set at 47.60 seconds in 1985. She lowered her personal best from 50.07 seconds to 49.71 in Paris where she lost to Marileidy Paulino, the Dominican Republic’s World and Olympic runner-up. In New York, despite the presence of 2021 Olympic 200m bronze medallist Gabrielle Thomas, McLaughlin-Levrone will be able to concentrate on refining her race plan.

Jamaica’s Charokee Young, Ashley Williams and Junelle Bromfield will face the starter as well.

In Paris, the American star went out too fast and Paulino, the world leader at 48.98, whizzed by and stopped the clock at 49.12. Tomorrow in the same Icahn Stadium where Usain Bolt set his first world record – 9.72 seconds in the wee hours of June 1, 2008, she can focus on a smoother run.

Her coach Bobby Kersee is a renowned maker of champions, from his wife Jackie, the heptathlon world record holder, to super sprinter hurdler Gail Devers, 400m hurdles world champion Kerron Clement and the recently retired Allyson Felix. He thinks the record is a real possibility.

“Sydney is considered the first real threat to Marita Koch’s 38-year-old world 400 record,” Kersee said recently to The Orange County Register.

Then he added, “she’s got the speed and stamina, and now she has the necessary aerobic base to run a sub-48 time.”

ANOTHER STEP FORWARD

Her Paris personal best, as flawed as it was, was a step forward for someone who hadn’t run a flat 400m since April 2021 when she did 51.16 seconds. My guess is that McLaughlin-Levrone will make another step forward. With the first race ring rust off in Paris, she’ll be more comfortable and will go faster.

Speed aside, New York will give her another lesson in running 400m without barriers.

How fast can she go ultimately? There’s an old comparison tool that indicates that a class athlete like her should be able to run within 0.5 of a second of her best 4x400m relay split. That 0.5 is there to compensate for the running start in the relay.

At last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, McLaughlin anchored with a smooth but sizzling lap timed in 47.91. You can do the math.

Hubert Lawrence has made notes at track side since 1980.