Sydney McLaughlin wins the 400m hurdles (© Travis Miller)
Sydney McLaughlin will start an overwhelming favourite to add her name to a list of past winners of this event which includes Jana Pittman and Zuzana Hejnova, who went on to win world titles as seniors.
The stellar 15-year-old US talent is unbeaten across a range of events this season – 300m, 400m, 55m hurdles, 60 hurdles and long jump – but her speciality is the 400m hurdles.
At the US Youth Championships in Lisle she recorded a world age-15 best of 55.28 to climb to No.2 on the world youth all-time list. Owning four of the five quickest times in the world this year, she will clearly be the one to beat.
Among McLaughlin’s main rivals will be her compatriot Brandee Johnson, who has a best of 57.63 and who finished second behind McLaughlin at the trials.
Also challenging for medals will be Jamaica’s Carifta Games champion Junelle Bromfield (58.07) and Canada’s Xahria Santiago (57.67).
Leading the European challenge will be Denmark’s Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist Anne Sofie Kirkegaard, who ran 58.60 in Nanjing last year.
Steve Landells for the IAAF
