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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's Bad Fortune Continues
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👋 Hey, Speedsters!
The final whistle for the 2024 track and field season has sounded, but before the athletes leave the tracks, there's still some unfinished business. In our last newsletter, we highlighted the Sha'Carri Richardson vs. Julien Alfred showdown at the Diamond League. And we have more in store for you!
In today’s edition, we will focus on Day 1 of the Brussels Diamond League finale—who’s leading? Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the name on everyone’s lips, but her latest confession has fans questioning her 200m plans. Meanwhile, Sha'Carri Richardson is under fire after a shocking defeat. Let’s dive into all this and more in today’s exciting update!
📜 QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they're capable of understanding.”
— Steve Prefontaine
In today’s newsletter, we’ll uncover these top stories from the Track & Field universe:
🥲 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Misfortune Strikes Again
😓 Sha'Carri Richardson’s Biggest Fear Comes Alive
💖 Tara Davis-Woodhall’s Emotional Note on Husband
🤐 Sam Hurley Shares NIL Secrets!
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's Bad Fortune Continues
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may have secured a win but at a steep cost. Leaving her competitors in the dust, the American sprinted to victory in just 49.11 seconds at the Brussels Diamond League 400m invitational. As expected! So then what was the disappointment about? "Running the 400m at the end of the season definitely hurts a little bit more, and I felt like cramping," she confessed. Now this looks worrisome, isn't it? The last thing fans wanted was an injury scare ahead of the 200m event— her third since 2018.
Alas, there's more! Falling short of resetting her 400m personal best— 48.74, from 2023, left her feeling blue. Moreover, it's too shabby that the weather made it feel like an icebox out there. However, all Sydney could do was think about what could have been, "I was hoping for a little bit faster, but I think the weather definitely wasn't on my side today." But not all was lost. With this win, she now has the top 2 fastest 400m times this season for an American— 48.75s and 49.11s.
Against the backdrop of Sydney being limited to this 'special' race, Marileidy Paulino won the Diamond League finale in 49.45 seconds. This hints: had Sydney been permitted to run in the finals, the win was practically hers, along with a whopping $30,000! Thus, you ask a Sydney fan and they'll note how the CEO's announcement rendering her 'ineligible' for the finals, will continue to prick them like a thorn in their side for a long time.
📊 POLL OF THE DAY
Are Our Top Track and Field Athletes Getting the Payday They Deserve Compared to Other Sports Stars? |
Last Poll’s Result: And the winner is... 🏆 47% of you are eager to see Florence Griffith-Joyner’s blazing 200m (21.34s) record shattered next year! 🏃♀️🔥 But wait, Usain Bolt’s legendary 100m record wasn’t far behind in the votes. Are we ready for a record-breaking 2025 season? Let's go! 🚀
Sha'Carri Richardson Gets Trashed for Last-Season Race
Have you ever had a nightmare manifest into reality? Well, Sha'Carri Richardson and her fans may have felt that last evening, as the much-anticipated season finale turned into a setback of epic proportions! How you ask? Courtesy of the American clocking 11.23 seconds at the Brussels Diamond League and slipping down to the 8th spot. Whereas, her Saint Lucian rival, Julien Alfred continued her streak of consistency. Claiming gold in 10.88 seconds, she has now wrapped up her 2024 season with a 3-2 lead over Richardson.
Naturally, this was a bitter pill for the Richardson loyalists to swallow. From 10.84 seconds for gold in Zurich a few days back, to this? Also, spectators hardly imagined that the 10.71-second world lead runner would at some point struggle to go sub-11. But the chinks in her armor came to the fore in the race itself. Her sprint featured a lackadaisical start, and by the end, she just threw in the towel! Many believe this is a signature in events where she knows she is way past the top 3.
While her previous gold misses have been by reason of her slow starts, this time, there was so much for fans to point a finger at. They speculated if she was doing well mentally, for something felt seriously off! A tale of her bad starts again? Well by now, this attribute has nearly become synonymous with her performances. Or is she faltering in her training? A few pointed that she lacks discipline compared to Alfred, who is more consistent and staged a strong comeback after her Zurich dis-balance. Well, regardless of the reasons, one thing is sure— the finale failed to live up to its build-up.
Olympics’ Greatest Moment!
How do you measure a champion? They ALWAYS finish what they start. There's no way you are a track fan and Derek Redmond's Olympic moment doesn't well up your eyes. In excruciating pain, Redmond continued to limp his way to the finish, until someone stepped ahead, providing more than just support. Watch to see who was it and what happened.
Tara Davis-Woodhall Opens Up On Husband's Disability Struggles
Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall have had picture-perfect moments at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games— in each other's arms and with their gold medals. 'We are two peas in a pod,' the two who first met in 2017, confess to being each other's companions for life. And when they say, we've been through 'everything' together, the ups and downs seem to have forged their bond in steel and ornamented it with love and respect.
PS: what Tara has had to say about her husband's disability recently will move you to tears. Speaking to Olympics.com, she confessed how Hunter being a para-athlete has never made her view him in a different light. "No, I never looked at Hunter to have a disability. I kind of forget that he has two prosthetics most of the time. So I think the only part that would ever change is just him taking off his legs and that’s not really often," she said.
Hunter has had fibular hemimelia, leading to his legs being amputated when he was just 11 months. But, to Hunter, this has been neither a disadvantage nor something that he uses as a fallback. Tara added, "He doesn’t use his disability as any excuse, so it’s pretty refreshing to see that and to just watch him do what he does. It’s very inspirational.” While she draws inspiration from his actions, he in turn believes it is Tara who built him, believed in him, and helped him grow. A love like theirs is one in a million!
Sam Hurley Breaks Down NIL Secrets
Imagine being 21 and stepping into your senior college year, while you already have brands chasing you around for collaborations and an ON3 NIL valuation that comes up to a million! Dreamy right? Not so much for Texas Longhorn athlete Sam Hurley, who gets to live this reality daily. A rising icon, the youngster ranks 42nd amongst the top NIL-earning college athletes of 2024. Mind you, he's not just track and field's sole representative in the top 100, but apart from gymnast Olivia Dunne, he's the only one from a non-basketball/football domain.
You ask him the secret behind this. Well, he likes to pick and choose the brands he endorses to his loyal followers. Apart from being 'super selective,' his mantra is, "Show that little unique side of you. Everybody will appreciate that and I think it'll do well in the business world as well" concerning his social media activities. And indeed, being authentic has worked for him! Beyond that, a huge chunk of the credit goes to his team, "I think that's most important— having that base around you to not only push you forward, but keep you grounded." His agents, family, coaches— it takes a whole crew!
1.1M followers on Instagram, and a cumulative of 4.9M across platforms like Twitter and TikTok, Hurley is the fourth most followed star in the top 100 NIL earners. The face of Degree, Dick's Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Raising Cane's, and multiple other brands, he is equally good on the field. And is looking at his LA 2028 debut, after an injury kept him out of Paris. A master of multiple trades, he juggles his sports and NIL endeavors brilliantly!
Dive Deeper- Sam Hurley Explains How He Became A Top NIL Earner As A Track And Field Star And His Advice To College Athletes
📝 STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS!
Fresh Warning for Noah Lyles as Letsile Tebogo Becomes US Track and Field Legend’s Favorite - Full Story
Hours Before Diamond League Finals, Sha'Carri Richardson's Practise Leaves Fans Concerned - Full Story
Backed to Dethrone Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton Drops Massive News Hours Before Diamond League Final - Full Story
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Fans Blame Diamond League for Denying Her of Finals Victory - Full Story
Why Did Matt Hudson-Smith Pull Out of Day 1 of the Brussels Diamond League? - Full Story
That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox on Monday with more interesting stories!
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