Eugene Masai Russell wins US Trials in Nagaon

EUGENE (United States) (Web New) Olympic champions Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Masai Russell produced convincing wins at the US trials in Oregon to punch their tickets to the athletics World Championships on Saturday.

McLaughlin-Levrone, the two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion and golden girl of American track, stormed to victory in the 400m flat as she targets a new world title at Tokyo in September.

Russell, the Olympic 100m hurdles champion, was similarly impressive, with a flawless performance delivering victory in 12.22secs at Eugene’s Hayward Field.

But while Paris Olympics gold medallists McLaughlin-Levrone and Russell delivered, there was an upset in the men’s 1,500m, where Olympic champion Cole Hocker finished in third.

McLaughlin-Levrone signalled she could well be in the hunt for gold in Tokyo after blasting to victory in 48.90secs, taking the tape ahead of Isabella Whittaker (49.59secs) and Aaliyah Butler in 49.91sec.

“I felt like this is the year I wanted to step out of the box and really push myself in a different way,” McLaughlin-Levrone said of her decision to switch to 400m.

“Obviously it’s uncomfortable, but I wanted to commit to it and I’m committed to it. Just excited to see where I can push myself,” she told AFP.

Russell, who achieved a breakthrough major title with gold in Paris last year, will be the woman to beat in Tokyo in Saturday’s evidence.

The 25-year-old executed flawlessly to come home ahead of Grace Stark (12.31) and Alaysha Johnson (12.36).

Russell started this season in prime form, clocking a US record 12.17secs in May before an ankle injury threatened to derail her season.

However she looked back to her best in Saturday’s win.

“I could have shut down my season two months ago when I couldn’t walk,” Russell said. “But I was like ‘This is the goal.’

“Winning the Olympics put a little bit more pressure on me. Because I feel I have a standard to uphold. People expect something from the reigning Olympic champion.”