World and Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will run her first 400m hurdles in 20 months at the 2024 USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix on 18 May.

The American track sensation, who has not raced in the event since August 2022, made her long-awaited return as part of the women’s 4x100m quartet that finished second at the Mt. SAC Relays in California on Saturday (20 April).

McLaughlin-Levrone competed sparingly in 2023 before announcing her decision to withdraw from the World Athletics Championships in Budapest due to a ‘minor knee issue’.

But the 24-year-old is now excited to get her Paris 2024 Olympic season in gear as she looks to reproduce her magical moment from Tokyo 2020 when she lowered her world record to 50.68 seconds.

“I just want to be better than I was in Tokyo. Improve upon myself. I don’t know what event I’ll possibly be doing, but just represent Team USA very well,” McLaughlin-Levrone said in an interview with NBC News.

Paris is a dream come true,” she continued . “The stores, the roads, the cafes, all of it, it’s a dream.”

“I love the fashion. Everybody here has amazing taste, and I just love to be able to see all the different looks, all the different designers. It’s just really cool to see the culture here.”

In Los Angeles this weekend, the double Olympic gold medallist will take on former world record holder Delilah Muhammad and compatriot Anna Cockrell.

Other American stars set to race this weekend include World Indoor champion Christian Coleman in the 100m, with Gabby Thomas and Abby Steiner in the women’s 200m.

There will be an equally strong field in the women’s 400m led by world champions Marileidy Paulino, Mary Moraa and Athing Mu, with Kirani James and Michael Norman in the men’s 400m.

Olympic champions Joshua Cheptegei, Selemon Barega, and newly crowned cross-country winner Jacob Kiplimo headline the men’s 5000m.