Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 04, 2024. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of United States in action during heat 5. This is an in-camera multiple exposure picture. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
PARIS (Reuters) - American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone got a winning start to her 400 metres hurdles Olympic title defence on Sunday, preserving her strength and jogging through the finish to advance from the opening round in Paris.
The world record holder did not need anywhere close to her best to cross the line first in the final heat in 53.60 seconds, as she closed out the morning programme at the Stade de France.
Her American compatriots Anna Cockrell (53.91) and Jasmine Jones (53.60) won their respective heats, while Jamaican Rushell Clayton jogged through the finish to win her race in 54.32, and the Netherlands Femke Bol cruised through in 53.38.
McLaughlin-Levrone is the overwhelming favourite after she lowered the world record for the fifth time at her national trials in June with 50.65, and the crowd erupted as she was introduced in lane three.
McLaughlin-Levrone, who skipped the 2023 worlds due to a knee issue, cleared each hurdle effortlessly and had no one around her as she slowed through the final metres, with Moroccan Noura Ennadi second in 55.26.
Home hope Louise Maraval (55.32) was egged on by the crowd as she finished third in the final heat to move on.
Bol, the only other woman to have cracked 51 seconds in the event, showed no signs of fatigue from her inspired run to the top of the 4x400 mixed relay podium on Saturday, as she cruised through her heat in 53.38.
The top three in each heat advanced to Tuesday's semi-finals, along with the next three fastest finishers across all heats. The final is set for Thursday.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Paris; Editing by Ken Ferris)
