World champion Femky Paul will not meet Olympic champion and world record holder Sidney McLaughlin-Levroni in the 400m hurdles at the upcoming Memorial Van Damme in Brussels. The American, whose arrival was announced by the organization early this year, is absent from the starting list. McLaughlin-Livrone also did not participate in the last World Cup finals in Budapest due to a minor knee injury.
Paul has not been defeated in the 400m hurdles at the Diamond League since August 2020. She could win her 18th consecutive time in Brussels on Friday. And judging by the opposition, that wouldn’t normally be a problem. Jamaica’s Rochelle Clayton, who won the bronze medal in Budapest, is her most dangerous opponent on paper. Paul set a European record of 51.45 seconds in London this year. She won the gold medal in Budapest, with a time of 51.70 seconds.
More Dutchmen will take part in the main program of the memorial: Lekke Claver in the 400m, Maureen Koster in the 5000m, Nils Larousse in the old 2000m, Tassa Gia in the 200m and the relay men in the 4 x 100m. . Of particular note is the participation of para-athlete Flor Jung in the long jump. Jung is the current Paralympic champion and also won gold at the IAAF World Para Athletics Championships this summer.
