WATCH - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone grabs world lead in her first 400m hurdles race since 2022 at the Edwin Moses Legend Meet

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone cruised to victory in her first 400m hurdles event since August 2022 at the Edwin Moses Legend Meet. She grabbed a world lead in her most awaited 400m hurdles debut of the Olympic year on May 31 at the HBCU Campus at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

McLaughlin-Levrone's last 400m hurdles competition was at the 2022 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene on August 8, where she smashed her own world record by a time of 50.68s. The athlete went on a hiatus after a concerning knee injury.

At the Edwin Moses Legend Meet, the American hurdler recorded a world lead of 52.70s and trounced Michelle Smith, who secured the second position after clocking a time of 55.96s. In the third position stood Grace Claxton, who recorded a time of 56.26s.

Track & Field Gazette shared the video of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's 400m hurdles season opener on their X account. The post's caption read:

"Watch Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone run a World Lead of 52.70s to win the women's 400mH at the Edwin Moses Legends Meet. Her first race in the event in 22 months!"

After dominating at the event, the 400m hurdles champion said:

"We haven't had much hurdle practice, so there's a lot to improve." (via Olympics.com)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's coach opens up about her love for 400m hurdles

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's coach, Bobby Kersee, recently weighed in on the 24-year-old's plan for the 400m hurdles discipline for the Paris Olympics in an interview with Olympics.com. He shared that this event is a priority for McLaughlin-Levrone and his job is to prepare her for it.

"I think Sydney's love is the 400m hurdles, and so that's the number one event. My job is to make sure that she gets ready for the one that she wants to do the most," Kersee said.

Kersee also announced the 400m hurdles champion's plans for the Olympics.

"That's her main event. That's what we want to defend our Olympic championship in."

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stood atop the podium in the 400m hurdles discipline at the Tokyo Olympics after clocking a world record of 51.46. She was also the youngest track and field athlete to earn a spot on the US team for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The reigning 400m hurdles world record holder vying for a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics will be competing next in the Olympic Trials, which is slated from June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon.