A world record was broken in the last event of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone qualified for her second Olympic Games by setting a world record in the 400-meter hurdles for an amazing fifth time.
The reigning Olympian broke her own record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final, finishing in 50.65 seconds. Her previous best time was in 2022. Moments after completing, McLaughlin-Levrone said to Lewis Johnson of NBC Sports, “I was not expecting that.”
“I’m just amazed, baffled and in shock.” In fact, McLaughlin-Levrone’s time with hurdles was faster than four of the nine competitors in last week’s 400-meter flat final.
In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, McLaughlin-Levrone qualified for Paris with Anna Cockrell and Jasmine Jones. The U.S. Trials came to an end on the final night, with triumphs for Grant Fisher, Nikki Hiltz, Rai Benjamin, and other contestants.
Not only did McLaughlin-Levrone make history that evening, but all six track finals saw records broken by the U.S. Trials, and Maggie Malone-Hardin took home the gold in the women’s javelin final. See highlights, recaps, and more about the events below.results by event for the US Olympic Track and Field Trials.
Men’s hammer final
Daniel Haugh qualified for his second Olympics with a season-best throw of 79.51 meters. The 29-year-old Georgian won the championship and will lead the American men’s hammer squad in Paris. Haugh’s first Olympic performance came in 12th place at the Tokyo Games. Rudy Winkler is going to his third Olympics after winning silver in Tokyo. In addition,
Winkler threw a season-best 78.89 meters to secure his Olympic berth and place second. Justin Stafford placed third in the final at 77.07m and will need to qualify via World Athletics rankings, as he hasn’t met the Olympic standard for Paris (78.20m).
FINAL RESULTS
Daniel Haugh* | 79.51m
Rudy Winkler* | 78.89m
Justin Stafford | 77.07m
Tyler Williams | 76.55m
Jordan Geist | 76.30m
Tarik O’Hagan | 74.54m
Israel Oloyede | 74.32m
Alex Young | 73.63m
Trey Knight | 73.57m
Tyler Merkley | 72.86m
Morgan Shigo | 71.94m
Isaiah Rogers | 70.13m
*Secured Olympic spot
Men’s high jump final
Shelby McEwen secured a berth for the Olympics for the second time. Reaching a height of 2.30 meters to win the men’s high jump final, McEwen demonstrated his exceptional form. Only three centimeters separated the 28-year-old University of Alabama graduate from his lifetime best of 2.33 meters.
Tyus Wilson and Caleb Snowden finished second and third, respectively, but neither athlete meets the Olympic standard, therefore their plans to compete in Paris are currently in doubt.
The Tokyo Olympic team member and reigning global silver medallist JuVaughn Harrison finished fourth after failing to clear 2.24 meters in three tries. Harrison might still qualify for the Olympics based on rankings, but we’ll have to wait and see.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s 5000m final
Grant Fisher won his second Trials final to secure an Olympic double.
Fisher prevailed in a dramatic men’s 5000m final, just nosing in ahead of Abdihamid Nur with a few steps to go. Fisher had previously won the men’s 10,000m final to become the first U.S. track and field athlete to qualify for Paris. He will now include the 5000m in his schedule.
His time of 13:08.85 set a record for the US Trials. In contrast, Nur is an Olympian for the first time. The 25-year-old’s mother moved the family to Kenya before moving them to America. He was born the second youngest of eight children in Somalia. Nur is a citizen of the United States and was reared in Apple Valley, Minnesota. He will now compete for his country in the Olympics.
University of North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe finished third with a personal-best time of 13:10.75. Since Wolfe hasn’t yet reached the Olympic standard, he will need to earn a spot in Paris through rankings.
FINAL RESULTS
Grant Fisher* | 13:08.85
Abdihamid Nur* | 13:09.01
Parker Wolfe | 13:10.75
Graham Blanks | 13:12.61
Dylan Jacobs | 13:17.26
Sean McGorty | 13:18.27
Cole Hocker | 13:20.99
Ahmed Muhumed | 13:29.23
Woody Kincaid | 13:31.40
Olin Hacker | 13:32.10
Morgan Beadlescomb | 13:37.69
Cooper Teare | 13:42.50
Willy Fink | 13:43.32
Eric van der Els | 13:50.66
Kasey Knevelbaard | 13:51.29
Sam Prakel | 14:17.87
*Secured Olympic spot
Women’s 100m hurdles final
In order to get her first Olympic berth, Masai Russell broke the 24-year-old U.S. Trials record by winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles final in 12.25 seconds.
Russell’s dash time this year was also the quickest in the globe. With a personal best time of 12.31 seconds, Alaysha Johnson finished just behind Russell and qualified for Paris together with Grace Stark, who finished third, only a single stride behind Johnson.
Notably, two past medalists in the 100-meter hurdles at the Olympics will not be competing in Paris.Silver medallist Nia Ali from 2016 came in fourth, lagging behind by a mere.06 seconds.The 2020 silver medallist Keni Harrison finished sixth and was not able to qualify for these Olympics as well.
FINAL RESULTS
Women’s pole vault final
After winning the women’s pole vault final with a height of 4.73 meters, Bridget Williams, the 2023 Pan American Games champion, will compete in her first Olympics.
Meanwhile, Katie Moon secured her second Olympic berth, where she will defend her gold medal. Moon won gold in Tokyo, followed by gold at the 2022 and 2023 Worlds, the latter of which she shared with Nina Kennedy of Australia.
Moon’s 2024 season was marred by Achilles tendinitis, which she described as “painful and lingering,” which prevented her from participating in most of the winter slate. However, Moon recovered in time for Trials. To join those two in Paris for her first Olympics, Brynn King finished third.
