One of the highlights for Team USA at the Paris Olympics, which not only brought home gold but also left a mark in history, was the Women’s 4x400m sprint. Featuring Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Shamier Little, and Alexis Holmes, their jaw-dropping speed did wonders to bring them victory. However, Little’s legacy across the Paris Olympics went further than that.
In a candid chat on their podcast ‘Ready Set Go,’ track veterans Justin Gatlin and Rodney Greene couldn’t help but focus on the 29-year-old hurdler who pulled a significant feat this year. Not only did she branch out to long-distance sprinting, but she also did a double shift by participating in the mixed 4x400m relay!
Both men were stunned as they looked back at what had happened at the Olympics this season. They had already acknowledged how this year had been one for the books, especially for the women on track. But even so, Little’s participation in two long-distance events showed just how skillful one had to be to race among champions.
“Listen, that’s gutsy man. That girl could run! That girl can run!”
McLaughlin-Levrone left the event’s official cameramen confused about whom to focus on because she was smoking her competitors with her speed.
Meanwhile, Little had already won hearts by switching in at the last moment on the first leg and gaining enough pace for the whole team to adopt a lead immediately.
In a post-victory press conference, Little and Holmes discussed how they managed to bag the gold and keep up with the changes. Something that echoed across both women’s relay teams was the common idea that they needed to contribute to the team. Gatlin and Green noticed this, too.
“She even said it! She was like ‘Look, this is where we at, I came out here to make sure my spot was solidified, that’s how I’m going to contribute’…”
The men sent out congratulatory messages to the women who brought home points with their golden wins. Meanwhile, Little could take pride in the fact that her strong first leg had sealed the deal for Team USA by a long shot.
Little rolled with the punches when she was placed on the first leg
After winning a silver in the mixed 4x400m relays upon taking the second leg, authorities notified Little that she would lead the race for the women’s 4x400m relays. The announcement came in at the eleventh hour, surprising fans who thought McLaughlin-Levrone would lead the race.
Yet, the 29-year-old hurdler was ready to take on the last-moment change only because it wasn’t her first rodeo as the first leg in a relay. In a post-win press conference, she revealed how she had always covered the first part of relays during college.
Returning to her roots only meant more comfort and ease in knowing and adopting the strategy right away. Teammate Holmes recalled watching Little speed up on the track, knowing that the race was already theirs to win.
