Abby Steiner, the American sprint sensation, made a triumphant return to the track with a comfortable victory in the women’s 400 meters at the 2024 Gamecock Invitational last Saturday, marking her comeback from challenging heel surgery.

The 24-year-old, running her first race since the USA Championships last summer, clocked 51.58 seconds, the fastest time across all sections of the event, to clinch first place comfortably in Section One. Her performance easily outpaced Karimah Davis of Cique Elite, who secured second place in the same heat with a time of 51.98 seconds.

Abby Steiner’s Impressive Collegiate Career

The former Kentucky standout, renowned for clinching three NCAA 200m titles and holding an outdoor personal best of 21.77 seconds in the half-lap event, had her 2023 season curtailed due to an Achilles tendonitis issue.

Read more: Abby Steiner to have surgery after missing World Championships

This setback prevented her from securing a spot on the U.S. team for the World Athletics Championships and achieving back-to-back U.S. 200m titles at the 2023 U.S. Championships, where she finished fourth in the event behind the likes of Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Kayla White last summer.

In response to the challenges faced last year, Steiner made the difficult but sensible decision to end her season early to undergo the much-needed surgery to rectify her persistent heel issue and focus on recovery and preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

The surgery, aimed at addressing a left heel problem that bothered her for about two years, was a pivotal step in her journey back to peak competitive form.

Steiner, determined to take care of her health, revealed to reporters prior to her surgery last year, “I’m just going to take care of my body and prepare for next year.”

National Records and Upcoming Schedule

Meanwhile, her impressive track record includes holding the U.S. National Indoor 200m record with a time of 22.09 seconds, set in College Station, Texas, in 2022, and a personal best of 35.54 seconds in the 300m at the 2023 Millrose Games, also an American indoor record.

Looking ahead, Steiner is set to continue her competitive season at the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial, which will be held at the James G. Pressly Stadium – Percy Beard Track at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, from April 12-13.

As one of the leading contenders for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, Steiner’s performances will be closely watched as she builds momentum towards the summer trials.