Thrilling track action beckons at the Paris Olympics

Femke Bol of Netherlands competes in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the London Athletics Meet, part of the 2024 Diamond League, on 20 July 2024. (Photo: Ben Hoskins / Getty Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

22 Jul 2024

The calibre of athletes at the upcoming Olympic Games means world records are likely to tumble at the Olympic Stadium in Paris.

The track events at the Olympic Games at the renovated Stade de France begin on 1 August, a week after the start of the Games with swimming, archery, boxing and a few other events mostly completed by that stage.

There are 48 track events — 23 men’s, 23 women’s and two mixed. Both the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles races are set to deliver thrilling action.

In the men’s section, Norway’s Karsten Warholm, the USA’s Rai Benjamin and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos have, respectively, set the first, second and third-fastest times ever.

paris olympics track benjamin Rai Benjamin competes in the men's 400m hurdles final on at the 2024 US Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on 30 June 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

paris olympics track dos santos Alison dos Santos of Brazil competes in the 400m men’s hurdles at the Paris 2024 Diamond League at Stade Charlety on 7 July 2024. (Photo: Aurelien Meunier / Getty Images)

Beyond that, the three men have set 24 of the 25 fastest times in the history of the event.

The final race in the men’s 400m hurdles in Tokyo in 2021 was one of the greatest in Olympic history thanks to the brilliance of the aforementioned trio.

Warholm broke his own world record with a time of 45.94 seconds, Benjamin also broke that record and finished second in 46.17 seconds, while Dos Santos came home in 46.72 seconds.

All three are likely to make the final in Paris on 9 August.

Sydney vs Femke

The women’s battle in the 400m hurdles is equally appetising. The USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and the Netherlands’ Femke Bol have recorded 18 of the 21 fastest times in the event.

paris olympics track McLaughlin-Levrone Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone competes in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the 2024 US Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on 30 June 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

paris olympics track femke bol Femke Bol of the Netherlands (centre) competes in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the London Athletics Meet, part of the 2024 Diamond League, on 20 July 2024. (Photo: Ben Hoskins / Getty Images)

Returning Olympic gold medalist McLaughlin-Levrone — who ran a world record time of 51.46 seconds in Tokyo — is the favourite to retain her medal in Paris.

She has broken her own record twice since then, including at last month’s US Olympic trials, where she finished in 50.65 seconds.

Bol, who captured the bronze medal in Tokyo, has also drastically decreased her times.

The Dutch hurdler recently ran a new personal best of 50.95 seconds at the La Chaux-de-Fonds meeting in Switzerland to become only the second woman, after McLaughlin-Levrone, to clock below 51 seconds in the event.

Tight tussles

There is likely to be a fierce battle in the men’s 1,500m as well, with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen currently the form man over that distance.

Ingebrigtsen is the reigning Olympic champion, having set an Olympic record of 3:28.32 at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

However, last year, at the World Championships, the Norwegian was pipped by Great Britain’s Josh Kerr in the final.

Kerr has been relatively inactive this season, focusing on perfecting his strategy in training, while Ingebrigtsen has preferred to race.

The final on 6 August is sure to be a tasty affair.

In the shorter sprints, the USA’s Noah Lyles is looking to become the first athlete to complete the 100m and 200m sprint double since Usain Bolt in 2016.

Lyles has not lost a 200m sprint since the Tokyo Olympic Games, where he placed third, but the 100m competition is brutal.

Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs is finally coming back into form after an injury-hit reign, while Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson has the fastest time of the year, clocking in at 9.77 seconds at the Jamaican trials.

He’ll face stiff competition from Africa as well, with Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala all in top form this season.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon recently broke the women’s 1,500m record with a time of 3:49.04. Not only did she break her own record, she is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist at the distance.

In Paris, the Kenyan is looking to become only the second female athlete after the Soviet Union’s Tatyana Kazankina to win three consecutive gold medals in the 1,500m event. DM

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Sydney vs Femke

Tight tussles