Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced that she will be starting a family in 2026 with her husband and taking the year off. This is big news for Sydney and an amazing personal achievement, but also comes at the perfect time in her career as there are no Olympics or World Championships in 2026. Lets discuss what this means for the women’s 400m this year, as well as some other women who have had children and returned to the track better than ever.

Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin announced that they may be running a 150m race at the Ostrava meeting on June 16th 2026. Though this is still many months away, this is a big opportunity to showcase something different in terms of events and hype for a specific event. But who else would we like to see race them in this 150m race?

2020 Olympic 100m Champion Lamont Marcel Jacobs recently announced that he will be returning to his long time coach Paolo Camossi. This comes off moving to Florida in 2023 to train with Rana Reider as well as dealing with various injury setbacks. Will this be a good move for him?

We also breakdown some of the recent NCAA Highlights from the past weekend

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Sources:

Sydney announcement: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT0e_r_j2sP/?hl=en&img_index=1

Noah vs Rai 150m race: https://x.com/LylesNoah/status/2015841450496290987

Lamont Marcell Jacobs Coaching Change: https://www.fidal.it/content/Mei-Jacobs-torna-ad-allenarsi-con-Camossi-/181849

NCAA Leaderboards: https://www.tfrrs.org/index.html

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

11:22 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone + 400m Landscape

45:50 Noah Lyles vs Rai Benjamin 150m in Ostrava

1:10:03 Marcell Jacobs Changes Coaches

1:17:49 NCAA Highlights

1:27:20 Athlete Sponsorship Changes

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📱Twitter: https://x.com/EmeroleAnderson

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Kishane Thompson, Bryan Levell and Tia Clayton all opened up their 2026 seasons running the 60m outdoors down in Jamaica. How did they perform and what do these performances mean for the rest of their 2026 year and beyond?

Noah Lyles also opened up his 2026 season running the indoor 300m for the first time since 2017. He is slated to run another 300m at the New Balance indoor Grand Prix this weekend, so what can his season opener tell us about what to expect in Boston

The NCAA athletes continue to put down great performances throughout January, with some notable results in the 300m, 600m, 60mH and an slightly overlooked mark in the Long Jump

The 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be going down on Saturday, January 24th, the sprint and hurdle fields have some of the top names in the sport and like previous years, should produce some high quality results

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Sources:

Kishane & Bryan 60m Results: https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/results?id=27924&meId=353138#title-anchor

Tia Clayton 60m Result: https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/results?id=27924&meId=353141#title-anchor

Noah Lyles 300m results: http://live.halfmiletiming.com/meets/880/events/20/Final

NCAA Leaderboards: https://www.tfrrs.org/index.html

NB Indoor GP Entries: https://www.nbindoorgrandprix.com/events-results/

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

06:05 Kishane Thompson, Bryan Levell, Tia Clayton 60m Opener

38:00 Noah Lyles 300m Opener

55:30 NCAA Weekend Highlights

01:08:20 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Preview

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Marvin Bracy-Williams Recently announced that he would be joining the Enhanced Games 100m, joining the likes of Fred Kerley and others.

Jonathan Simms of Georgia ran 44.62 in is first NCAA 400m ever, taking down the World U20 Record, along with a few other notable NCAA results at the top of January.

Kishane Thompson, Tia & Tina Clayton are opening up their 2026 indoor season's and may compete all the way through to the World Indoor Championships this year.

What should we expect from Grant Holloway who will run the 60m for the first time since 2019.

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Sources:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:59 Marvin Bracy-Williams Joins the Enhanced Games

20:49 Jonathan Simms 400m Opener + NCAA Results

39:00 Noah Lyles 300m Season Opener

44:55 Kishane Thompson + Tia & Tina Clayton to Race 60m Season?

01:05:03 Grant Holloway to Race Indoor 60m

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📱Twitter: https://x.com/EmeroleAnderson

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2x Olympic Champion Shauane Miller-Uibo announced that she gave birth to her 2nd child and is also making a return to the track in 2026. But considering how much the landscape of the 400m has changed over the past 3-4 years, will Shaunae be able to make a successful comeback?

iShowSpeed recently raced Letsile Tebogo in Botswana as part of his tour of Africa. Speed has been engaging with track and field athletes more frequently over the past year, but is engagement with iShowspeed a net positive for Track & Field and a way to grow the sport?

Letsile Tebogo recently spoke about receiving offers to change his nationality from Botswana to instead represent various countries in the Middle East. He ultimately denied those requests to transfer and continues to represent Botswana, but why did he choose to stay at home in Botswana instead of taking a likely large sum of money?

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Sources:

Shaunae Miller-Uibo: https://www.instagram.com/hey_itsshaunae/reel/DTBWwsEEflK/?hl=en

IShowSpeed Races Letsile Tebogo: https://x.com/CitiusMag/status/2008588776365584514

Letsile Tebogo Botswana Interview 1: https://x.com/TrackGazette/status/2000605969978437802

Letsile Tebogo Botswana Interview 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9APzecMeEHw

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:10 Shaunae Miller-Returns to the track

16:32 IShowspeed vs Letisile Tebogo

34:06 Letisle Tebogo's offers to switch nationality

51:22 Greatest Athletes of the 21st Century

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There has long been a discussion around raising the height of the Women's 400 Hurdles from 30 inches to 33 inches. These discussions have increased in recent years with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone taking the event to a level many thought was not possible. But is this a good idea and will it ever happen?

Kim Batten's Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/kim.batten/posts/as-the-former-world-record-holder-in-the-womens-400-hurdlestoday-i-am-officially/10241383495831406/

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:13 Kim Batten’s 400H Proposal

02:27 When did the 400H get started

02:54 How was the Men’s 400H height determined?

03:56 How was the Women’s 400H height determined?

05:30 What’s the argument to raise the hurdle height?

10:08 Will this change actually happen? – Will it go to 33 inches?

10:50 Have other events changed and if so, how?

12:08 Should this change actually happen?

12:58 What would it take to change the hurdle height?

13:52 Summary

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Gabby Thomas announced that she will be moving up to the 400m in 2026 and likely in future years as well. Why is she making the move and what should we expect from her?

Full Interview with Marathon Handbook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ii86oKzJJ4

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:46 Gabby is Moving up to the 400m in 2026

02:40 Gabby’s 200m Career

03:14 Gabby’s versatility as a sprinter

05:20 Why the 400 and not the 100?

07:16 What is Gabby’s 400m potential?

08:57 The Landscape of the Women’s 400m

09:50 What does this mean for Gabby?

11:47 Grand Slam Track

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With 2025 marking the end of 25 years in the 21st century, let's breakdown the greatest athlete in each event over the last 25 years.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:24 Disclaimers

01:20 Women’s 100

02:04 Women’s 200

03:10 Women’s 400

04:07 Women’s 800

04:58 Women’s 1500

05:54 Women’s 5000

06:59 Women’s 10,000

07:39 Women’s 100H

08:42 Women’s 400H

09:46 Women’s 3000m Steeple

11:00 Women’s Triple Jump

12:04 Women’s Long Jump

12:51 Women’s High Jump

14:16 Women’s Pole Vault

14:55 Women’s Hammer Throw

15:48 Women’s Shot Put

16:39 Women’s Discus Throw

17:40 Women’s Javelin Throw

18:33 Women’s Heptathlon

19:17 Summary

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📱Twitter: https://x.com/EmeroleAnderson

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With 2025 marking the end of 25 years in the 21st century, let's breakdown the greatest athlete in each event over the last 25 years.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:53 Disclaimers

2:47 Men's 100m

04:17 Men's 200m

05:08 Men's 400m

06:29 Men's 800m

07:11 Men's 1500m

08:06 Men's 5000m

09:01 Men's 10,000m

09:48 Men's 110H

10:30 Men's 400H

11:26 Men's 3000m Steeplechase

12:21 Men's Triple Jump

12:59 Men's Long Jump

14:07 Men's Pole Vault

14:38 Men's High Jump

15:27 Men's Shot Put

16:16 Men's Javelin Throw

16:45 Men's Discus Throw

17:42 Men's Hammer Throw

18:42 Men's Decathlon

19:13 Summary

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Marie-José Pérec of France has cemented herself as one of the greatest athletes in Track & Field history. She is a 2x Olympic Champion and 2x World Champion over 400m. Her personal best of 48.25, set at the 1996 Olympics, made her the 3rd fastest women in history at that point. Additionally, not only was she the first athlete to ever defend their Olympic gold medal in the 400m after wins in 92 and 96, but she also completed the 200/400 double at the 1996 Games. But outside of sprint accolades, most people probably never realized she even competed in the 400mH, let alone was arguably a gold medal favorite at the 1995 World Championships.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:36 400H/400 crossover talent

03:40 Who is Marie-José Pérec?

04:39 Pérec's 1989 400H Season

05:23 Pérec's 1990-1994 Seasons

06:20 1995 Return to 400H

06:46 Landscape of 400H in 1995

07:30 Summer of 1995

08:40 Pérec versatility

09:21 1995 World Champ Schedule

10:35 Competition at 1995 World Champs

11:26 The 400/400H Double

13:27 Monaco 400H

14:21 Post 1995 Career

15:05 Pérec and McLaughlin-Levrone

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At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won 400m gold in 47.78, the 2nd fastest time in history and just off the world record of 47.60 which has now stood for over 40 years. Let's break down Sydney's legendary performance, the depth of the race behind her, as well as how and if the world record may actually be broken in the coming years.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:15 The 400m World Record

02:38 What the Tokyo 2025 final was so special

03:54 Why the 400m World Record has stood so long

05:54 How Sydney ran 47.78 in the 400m

10:23 400m Race Splits

10:36 Tokyo 400m Final Race Splits

11:07 Best 400m splits of 2025

11:55 All-time best 400m splits

13:30 Why the record WILL be broken in 2026

15:21 Why the record WONT be broken in 2026

16:10 Why the record WONT be broken anytime soon

19:31 Why the record WILL be broken sooner than we think

20:44 Summary

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