by Larry Eder
This is the fourth of six pressers from July 4, 2025 at the 50th NIKE Pre Classic, featuring Women’s sprints, 100 meters to 400 meters, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Julien Alfred, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. Special thanks to Jeff Oliver, and his team at Tracktown USA.
This is the 50th anniversary of the Pre Classic, sponsored by NIKE since 1978 and named in his honor after his death in May 1975. The meet was known originally as the Hayward Restoration meet. Many of the greatest athletes in the world have been seen here.
For this American writer, for many years, it was my first approach to seeing the world’s best athletes in a domestic meet. I have to thank Tom Jordan, the dude of dudes at NIKE Pre Classic from 1985 to 2022, I believe, and writer of Pre! Behind the scenes, NIKE sports marketing team, from Geoff Hollister and Tom Sturak, to John Capriotti and now, Brett Holt and his amazing team (Simon Bairu, Paul Moser, Llewellyn Starks, Johnny Nielsen, Robby Lotwis, among others). This team lives and breathes NIke running, and the Pre Classic, in my mind is the litmus test of NIKE’s corporate support of running.
But for the next several hours, I will geek out on the pressers, three on Wednesday, July 3, and Six on Thursday, July 4.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the consumate professional. A World record holder at th 400m hurdles four times, holding 6 of the top ten times at the 400m hurdles. Her two Olympic gold medals at the 400m hurdles, coupled with her two Olympic gold medals at the 4x400m. This year, Sydney put herself out there, winning the long hurdles twice and placing well in the short hurdles in the Grand Slam Track series, a series built around her stardom. At the NIKE Pre Classic, when asked if she could take a shot at the AR of 48.70, run by Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006, Sydney smiled, and noted ” Sanya’s record is pretty amazing.” One suspects that Sydney could be pretty darn close.
Julien Alfred, NCAA Champion, Olympic 100m champion, first from her country. Julien noted that he life has changed completely and how much excitement she brought to her country of Saint Lucia. ” I want to run a well executed race at Hayward.” One thinks that the Women’s 100 meters, with Julien Alfred , Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, will be, well spectacular.
Sha’Carri Richardson won the gold at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest in the 100 meters, bronze at the 200 meters and gold in the 4×100 meters, Sha’Carri was the silver medalist in the 100m and the gold medalist anchor in the 4x100m relay! Sha’Carri is one of the most followed athletes in our sport, and she has not race alot in 2025, noting, “we have a long season and all that matters to me is Tokyo.” Should be a barn-burner tomorrow.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won all three Grand Slam Track events over 100m and 200m this season, setting PBs of 10.73 and 21.99! Melissa trains with Sha’Carri Richardson and TeeTee Terry. Melissa looks confident and sounds confident. ” I want to execute well tomorrow.” Again, the women’s 100 meters, do not miss it!
