The stars are out at Stade de France for the third full day of track and field action.
The quick hits:
- American standout and Tokyo bronze medalist Gabby Thomas coasted to victory in the first round of the women’s 200m. She will be joined in the semis by 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred and U.S. teammate McKenzie Long in the semifinals. Jamaican superstar Shericka Jackson withdrew a few minutes beforehand.
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made her much-anticipated debut in the women’s 400m hurdles, fresh off setting a new world record for the fifth time. She cruised into the semis along with her U.S. teammates and Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who posted the top time of the day.
- Grant Holloway began his gold medal quest in the men’s 110m hurdles. After taking silver to Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment in Tokyo, Holloway enters as a favorite in Paris.
- Later, Noah Lyles views for his first Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100m final (3:50 p.m. ET).
Women’s 200m: Round 1
Tokyo bronze medalist Gabby Thomas commenced her quest for her first Olympic gold when she ran in the first round of the women’s 200m sprint. Thomas dominated the first heat of the day, posting a time of 22.20 seconds that led the day.
Thomas also got a taste of what to expect in the coming rounds, with British star Dina Asher-Smith and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili flying in the final heat to finish less than a tenth of a second behind her. Fellow American Brittany Brown came in fourth with a time of 22.38 seconds, while McKenzie Long rounded out a strong day for the United States by qualifying with a 22.55.
The 200m field is set to look quite different in Paris, after the surprise withdrawal of reigning world champion Shericka Jackson in the run-up to the first heat. Also missing is defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and American Sha’Carri Richardson, who did not qualify for the event at U.S. Trials.
Both 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred and Great Britain’s Daryll Neita finished at the top of the standings. Along with Thomas, they are the only members from the top five at the 2023 World Championships still competing in the event.
After winning the women’s 100m gold medal Saturday night at 9:20 p.m. Paris Time, Alfred lined up for her preliminary sprint at 10:55 a.m. Sunday morning, just over 13 hours later.
SEE MORE: Gabby Thomas cruises to victory in the women’s 200m Round 1
Women’s 400m Hurdles: Round 1
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the defending Olympic champion, stepped onto the Paris Olympic track for the first time and posted a time of 53.60 seconds in the 400m hurdles heats.
McLaughlin-Levrone is onto the semifinals alongside U.S. teammates Jasmine Jones and Anna Cockrell, plus Dutch superstar Femke Bol, whose sensational anchor leg clinched mixed 4x400m relay victory for the Netherlands on Saturday night.
Men’s 110m Hurdles Round 1
U.S. superstar Grant Holloway entered Paris with one mission: win gold. The three-time world champion was devastated coming out of the Tokyo Games, where he claimed silver to Hansle Parchment‘s gold. Holloway coasted through his heat on Sunday in 13.01 seconds, the top time by an astounding 0.21. Parchment just squeaked by the move into the semis on time (13.43).
Holloway’s U.S. teammate Daniel Roberts is also through to the semis, but not Freddie Crittenden. Crittenden jogged through his heat in an ultra-slow 18.27 seconds and relayed the following to NBC Sports’ Lewis Johnson minutes later:
“I’m doing well. I had a little bit of aggravation in my adductor yesterday from my pre meet. I went to the Team USA medical staff and doctors. They said it’s not an injury. There’s just a lack of activation in my muscle that’s causing pain and discomfort.
“The plan was to come out here and get through the round as long as I didn’t get disqualified or hit any hurdles. The idea was to get through and I’ll have another opportunity to run in the repechage round. I wanted to get here and make sure it didn’t feel any worse and make it through and give it everything I’ve got on Tuesday.”
So, Crittenden will run to keep his Paris Olympics alive in the repechage round on Tuesday.
Additional Events
- Women’s 3000m qualification: Defending Olympic gold medalist Peruth Chemutai made the qualifying heat look easy, cruising to a day’s best time of 9:10.51, along with defending world champion Winfred Mutile Yavi. Courtney Wayment looked strong for the United States, finishing fourth overall, and she will be joined by teammate Valerie Constien in the final.
- Women’s hammer throw qualification: Americans DeAnna Price and Annette Echikunwoke both advanced to the final, posting the third and fourth best throws, respectively. Canadian Camryn Rogers, the reigning world champion, is through, as well.
- Men’s long jump qualification: Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou posted the longest jump, by far, of the day at 8.32m, 0.17m longer than anyone else. No Americans advanced past Round 1. Jeremiah Davis finished .07m shy of the mark. Jarrion Lawson and Malcolm Clemons are out, as well.
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