Leading Ahead of Sha’Carri Richardson, McKenzie Long Reflects on 100m Loss at US Olympic Trials: “Caught Sleeping in the Blocks”

“I don’t want much to change. I don’t want my thoughts on track to change. I’m gonna just continue to include my mom, especially for the Trials. I want to make my first Olympic team. That would be so crazy.” These were the words of sprinter McKenzie Long as she reflected on her aspirations after a standout 2024 NCAA season, ahead of the Paris trials. Despite a turbulent journey marked by injury and the loss of her mother, Long’s determination remains unwavering.

The sprinter, known for her explosive starts and relentless drive, faced a pivotal moment that would define her journey to the Paris Olympics. With Sha’Carri Richardson securing a spot ahead of her in the 100m dash, Long’s reflection on the trials unveils a story of resilience amidst unforeseen challenges. In an exclusive interview, Long candidly reveals the highs and lows of her career, shedding light on that pivotal race.

McKenzie Long gets emotional over the 200m trials

In an interview with Citius Magazine that was shared on X, McKenzie Long talks about regrouping from the 100m and how that helped her ace the 200m dash. She was heard in the interview clip saying how the 200m is her forte and how she enjoyed running it, “It’s less stressful. In the 100m you have little-to-no area. I definitely was caught sleeping in the blocks. In the 200m, you have room to make up for it. It’s my fun event.” Citius Mag captioned it, “The current world-leader and NCAA champ says the 200m is her fun event and she is ready to DANCE 🕺”. The 100m dash was a turning point for Long as she mentioned just taking the days one day at a time instead of putting too much pressure on herself.

She had a slower start, as she admitted to ‘sleeping on the blocks,’ and couldn’t recover during the race, resulting in her failing to qualify for the Olympic team in the event. Long finished third in the first-round heat of the 100 meters with a time of 10.94 seconds. However, she placed 11th in the semifinals with a time of 11.15 seconds. Her opportunity to qualify came later during the 200m event.

At the US Olympic Trials, McKenzie Long displayed remarkable composure in the women’s 200m dash, clocking an impressive time of 22.49 seconds (+0.8) to secure victory in heat 2. Her performance outpaced Jayla Jamison, who finished in 22.89 seconds, and Elise Cooper, who crossed the line at 23.05 seconds. Notably, Long currently holds the world-leading time of 21.83 seconds in the 200m event. Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson delivered a commanding performance of her own in the 200m heats, sprinting to victory in 21.99 seconds (+0.5). Her swift pace left Abby Steiner trailing behind with a time of 22.29 seconds, underscoring Richardson’s formidability in the event.

Before this, Richardson qualified for the Olympics in the 100m event with a quick time of 10.71 seconds. She told NBC about her 200m time, now the second quickest in the world, saying, “Every time I touch the track, it’s an opportunity for me to work on being my best self.” This puts McKenzie Long and Sha’Carri Richardson neck and neck, with the outcome of who will make the cut for the 200m USA Olympic team yet to be seen. It will be very interesting to see how the semis and finals for the event play out.

McKenzie Long’s looking ahead into a future on the elite stage

In the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 2024, McKenzie Long ended up winning the 200m title with a world-leading time of 21.83s. It was the second fastest timing in collegiate history, just lagging 0.03s behind Abby Steiner’s record from 2022. In the 100m category, she clocked a best of 10.82s. Long additionally contributed to Ole Miss’ win in the 4x100m relay as well. She told Citius Mag, “Last year I didn’t win anything, so I wanted to come in this year and win it all. That was the main objective, that was the main goal. I knew I could”.

Even dad Michael Long was over the moon, “I have to do a double take. I’m like, that’s my daughter! It absolutely blows my mind”. Her NCAA performances strongly indicate her readiness for the Olympic team trials at Hayward Field. This year has been a rollercoaster for the sprinter: she made a comeback after sustaining a hip injury that sidelined her for 12 months. Furthermore, she is grieving the loss of her mother, Tara Jones.

But she has found solace in her sport and is fighting through. She credits a lot of her success to Coach Kevin Richardson and Coach Amy Perry for guiding her through tough times.“It’s really been amazing to see what she’s been able to accomplish,” Coach Perry praised her back. Now, her coaches, father, and the global track and field community eagerly anticipate Long’s debut on the Olympic team. Despite setbacks, her focus remains fixed on representing her country on the world stage.