UK Track & Field alumni update from the Paris Olympic Games
The USA has been dominating in Paris with big performances from multiple Kentucky Track & Field alumni.
None have been than Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone though, who defended gold in the Women’s 400m Hurdles, winning the race and setting a new world record at 50.37. The time to beat for the record was her own at 50.65, which she set at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. This race marks the sixth time she’s set a new World Record in the event.
Meanwhile, Daniel Roberts earned his first Olympic medal in Paris in the Men’s 100m Hurdles event, getting a silver with a time of 13.09. Representing Zimbabwe, Roberts also made it to the men’s 200m final, finishing in sixth place.
Alexis Holmes competed in the Women’s 400m final and ran a personal best with a time of 49.77 on Friday. She set her new PR by one-hundredth of a second, which she had previously set at 40.78 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. Holmes finished as the top American in that event, coming in sixth.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Masai Russell, and Devynne Charlton (Volunteer Assistant Coach) ran the Women’s 100m Hurdles and advanced to the final round, which will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:45 p.m. EST. With all three of the athletes in the finals, UKT&F makes up 37.5 percent of the final in the Women’s 100m Hurdles.
Camacho-Quinn is the defending gold medalist, representing Puerto Rico, and automatically advanced to the final after setting her season-best time of 12.35. She holds the Olympic Record and looks to become the first woman to claim back-to-back gold medals in the 100m hurdles.
Russell, who holds the collegiate record in the event, advances to her first final in her first Olympic Games after running a 12.42. After winning gold in the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this summer, she now seeks the podium on the international stage.
Charlton qualified for her second-ever Olympic final with a time of 12.50. Representing the Bahamas, she seeks to improve from her sixth-place finish at the Tokyo games alongside her fellow Kentucky athletes.
That’s not all though — Kentucky will have a pair of representatives in the Women’s 4x400m Relay Race for Team USA. The race is scheduled for 3:22 P.M. ET as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Alexis Holmes look to win gold.
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