Global sprint champions Noah Lyles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Elaine Thompson-Herah are among the star performers set to compete at the USATF New York City Grand Prix on Sunday.
This event marks the second US-based World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting of the year.
The anticipation for this meeting is heightened by the recent release of the trailer for the Netflix docuseries “Sprint,” which has brought more attention to the sport’s biggest stars in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Noah Lyles, a key figure in “Sprint,” will compete in his first 200m race of the season at New York’s Icahn Stadium. The multiple world champion has already impressed across various distances this year. In March, he secured world indoor silver medals in the 60m and 4x400m relay. More recently, he anchored the USA to victory in the 4x100m at the World Relays in The Bahamas and recorded a 100m season’s best of 9.85 seconds in Kingston.
Lyles has dominated the 200m at this meeting for the past two years, clocking 19.83 seconds last year and 19.61 in 2022. He aims to make a statement on Sunday, facing competitors like his younger brother Josephus and world and Olympic finalist Joe Fahnbulleh.
First 400m flat of the year
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the Olympic 400m hurdles champion, will run her first 400m flat of the year. She has already shown superb form, recording a personal best of 22.07 seconds in the 200m and a world-leading 52.70 in her initial 400m hurdles race of the season.
McLaughlin-Levrone won the 400m in New York last year with a meeting record of 49.51 seconds, later reducing her personal best to 48.74 seconds to win the US title. Now fully fit after being sidelined by injury last year, she will compete against fellow US sprinters Quanera Hayes, Kendall Ellis, and Talitha Diggs.
Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, the two-time Olympic sprint double champion, aims to improve on her season debut. Last month, she finished ninth in the 100m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene with a time of 11.30 seconds.
However, Thompson-Herah is known to improve as the season progresses and is expected to deliver a stronger performance in New York. She will face competitors like world silver medallist Gabby Thomas and Aleia Hobbs, who has clocked 10.88 seconds twice this year.
The men’s 400m will feature past global champions Wayde van Niekerk, Kirani James, and Jereem Richards, alongside US relay medalists Chris Bailey, Matthew Boling, and Elija Godwin.
Short sprints
In the men’s 100m, 2022 world champion Fred Kerley will compete against Kendal Williams, Pjai Austin, Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike, and Jamaica’s Kadrian Goldson.
The women’s 100m hurdles will see world record-holder Tobi Amusan and former record-holder Kendra Harrison face off, along with Devynne Charlton and Danielle Williams.
In the men’s 1500m, 2022 world champion Jake Wightman will race against Hobbs Kessler, Jesse Hunt, and Luke McCann.
The field events will feature US long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, unbeaten this year, against Jasmine Moore and Quanesha Burks. World indoor champion Sarah Mitton will compete in the women’s shot put, while Daniel Haugh and Rudy Winkler clash in the men’s hammer throw.
Other notable athletes include Jamaican long jumper Carey McLeod, US high jumper Vashti Cunningham, Cuban discus thrower Yaime Perez, and Jamaican discus thrower Fedrick Dacres.
