A historic thirty-minute span unfolded for Kentucky Track and Field at the Stade de France on Thursday evening, as Americans Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Daniel Roberts each secured Olympic medals in dramatic fashion.
McLaughlin-Levrone, already a household name, defended her Olympic gold in the 400m hurdles, shattering the world record with a blistering time of 50.37 seconds. This victory marked her second consecutive Olympic gold in the event, making her the first woman in history to achieve this feat. The New Jersey native, who dazzled during her freshman year at Kentucky as the 2018 SEC and NCAA champion, now holds six of the fastest times ever recorded in the 400m hurdles. Her dominant performance on Thursday saw her leave the competition far behind, crossing the finish line with no rival in sight. This victory also adds a third Olympic gold medal to her already illustrious career.
Just moments after McLaughlin-Levrone’s triumph, Daniel Roberts, a 2019 Kentucky graduate, claimed his first Olympic medal with a silver in the 110m hurdles. In his second Olympic Games, Roberts delivered a gutsy performance, clocking in at 13.09 seconds. His remarkable lean at the finish line proved decisive, edging out Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell by a mere three-thousandths (.003) of a second. Roberts, the 2019 SEC Champion and NCAA Runner-up, finished just behind Grant Holloway, his longtime collegiate rival, in what was a thrilling race.
The Wildcats’ presence was further felt on the global stage by Kentucky signee Tapiwanashe Makarawu, who represented Zimbabwe in the 200m final. Makarawu finished sixth with a time of 20.10 seconds. Starting in lane two, he made up ground on his competition exiting the turn but couldn’t maintain his pace to secure a medal. Nonetheless, the seven-time junior college national champion’s performance at his first Olympic Games sets a strong foundation as he heads to Lexington.
Earlier in the day, Jelani Walker, who competed for Kentucky in 2018 before turning professional, ran the second leg for Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team. The Jamaicans posted a season-best time of 38.45 seconds, finishing fourth in their heat, just missing out on a spot in the final.
Kentucky’s Olympic journey continues on Friday with four Wildcats set to compete. The day kicks off at 6:05 a.m. ET with the semifinal round of the 100m hurdles, featuring Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Masai Russell, and Devynne Charlton (Volunteer Assistant Coach/Purdue Alum), all vying for a place in Saturday’s final. Later, at 2 p.m. ET, Alexis Holmes will race for gold in the 400m final.
