Hurdles queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wants to carve out new territory in the 400 metres flat as the US track and field trials kick off this week in Eugene, Oregon, with a ticket to the World Athletics Championships on the line.
She broke the 400m hurdles world record for an astonishing sixth time for her second straight Olympic title in Paris last year and hopes to bring home world gold in the flat event at the global showcase in Tokyo in September.
She has slowly chipped away at the event after teasing her interest three years ago, becoming the second-fastest American ever with 48.74 seconds in Eugene in 2023 and winning at that same springy Hayward Field track earlier this month in 49.43.
"This is just a great indicator for us, moving forward, so a lot to work on, a lot to go and look back at," McLaughlin-Levrone said after the most recent win. "It's not as daunting as it once was."
With reigning champions like Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson guaranteed entry into the men's and women's 100m at worlds, McLaughlin-Levrone's 400m flat attempt injects some drama into an otherwise straightforward US trials.
Both Lyles and Richardson have declared for the sprint double in Eugene, though only Lyles has the bye into worlds in the 200m after taking that title in 2023, as well.
Richardson can expect to see the 200m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas at the line in both events, after Thomas has kept up a busy schedule with Grand Slam Track this year, while the back-to-back men's 200m Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek will feature on the men's side.
Another highlight will come with the women's 800m, where the sentimental favourite Athing Mu-Nikolayev will hope to get her comeback story on track after stunningly failing to make the US Olympic team a year ago at trials.
The 23-year-old had been favoured to repeat in her signature event at the Paris Games but instead tripped and crashed to the track at Hayward Field. It was later revealed that she had a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the selection event.
She ran her first 800m in almost a year at the Prefontaine Classic earlier this month, finishing a disappointing 10th in 2:03.44.
"I'm glad I made it through the race," she told Citius Mag after the race, saying that she felt physically ready to compete at the US trials.
"I'm just happy that, you know, I'm not crazy down about it. I know it's been a while - it's just what comes with coming back."
The 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships begin on Thursday.