McKenzie Long OLY (born July 11, 2000) is an American sprinter.[1]

McKenzie Long
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (2000-07-11) July 11, 2000 (age 24)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventSprint
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)60m: 7.10 (Albuquerque, 2023)
100m: 10.92
(Lexington, 2024)
200m: 21.83 (Eugene, 2024)

Early life

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She attended Ironton High School in southern Ohio, Pickerington High School Central in Ohio.[2] She became Ohio indoor state champion over 60 metres and committed to North Carolina State University in October 2017.[3] In 2023, Long would transfer to the University of Mississippi.

Career

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Long spent four years at the North Carolina State University, where she suffered a severe hip injury which took 12 months to recover from causing her to miss the 2021 outdoor and 2022 indoors seasons. In May 2022, she set a North Carolina State record of 23.00 in the 200 metres. She placed fifth in the 60 meters and second in the 200m in the 2023 SEC indoors championships, and then seventh in the 60m and fourth in the 200m at the 2023 NCAA indoors championships.[4]

Running for the University of Mississippi, Long won the SEC Championship 200 metres in 2023, running 22.39 seconds to beat Jacious Sears, Kaila Jackson and Talitha Diggs.[5] She retained her title in Gainesville, Florida in May 2024 at the 2024 SEC Outdoor Championships.[6] In doing so, she set a world-leading and SEC meet record wind-legal personal best time of 22.03 (+0.6), which placed her fifth in collegiate history and No. 22 all-time in the United States.[7][8]

At the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she won the 100m title with a wind-assisted time of 10.82 (+2.2), she then won the 200m title, clocking a time of 21.83, the second fastest time run by a collegiate. [9][10] She would add a third championship victory when Ole Miss went on to win the 4x100 relay. [11] Long's efforts would help Ole Miss to become just the fourth team in women's NCAA Outdoor history to sweep all three events after Florida State (1984), LSU (1989, 1990, 1996), and Texas (1991, 2023).

Long made her first Olympic team by finishing third in the 200m at the 2024 Olympic Trials with a time of 21.91. [12] She competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris over 200 metres, reaching the final and placing seventh overall.[13]

Personal life

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Long has completed voluntary work in projects supporting food sustainability and security.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "McKenzie Long". World Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Gretschel, Johanna (March 3, 2017). "Ten Events To Watch At The D1 Ohio State Championships". Flotrack. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  3. ^ Dwyer, Mark (October 13, 2017). "Pickerington Central's McKenzie Long Commits to NC State University". Milesplit. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "MCKENZIE LONG RUNS 'DEFINITELY SHOCKING' 10.80W AT TEXAS RELAYS". Runnerspace. April 1, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Women 200 Meter Dash - Finals". Deltatiming. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  6. ^ Hutchison, Katelyn (May 13, 2024). "SEC Track And Field Championships Produce World Leading Times And Olympic Performances". Forbes.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Johnson, David (May 13, 2024). "Ole Miss All-American senior McKenzie Long has been named the USTFCCCA National Women's Athlete of the Week". 247sports. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  8. ^ "McKenzie Long: USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week Sets Records Ahead of NCAA East Regional". bvmsports.com. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "NCAA results" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Mulkeen, John (June 8, 2024). "Pryce, Long and Jones impress in sprints at NCAA Championships". World Athletics. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  11. ^ "Ole Miss Women's Track and Field Wins 4x100-Meter Relay National Title". si. June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  12. ^ Pagkalinawan, Jordan (June 30, 2024). "2024 Track and Field Olympic Trials: Gabby Thomas wins 200m finals, Noah Lyles makes history". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  13. ^ "Women's 200m Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  14. ^ "McKenzie Long, Track/Cross Country". Diverseeducation. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
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