LA28 Olympic Schedule Whiffed by Ignoring Opportunities for Star Athletes
The name of Bob Kersee is well-known in Olympic circles. The man is one of the greatest track and field coaches in history, having mentored – at one time or another – the likes of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Gail Devers, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Greg Foster and Allyson Felix. Most recently, he has guided Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to unparalleled success in the 400-meter hurdles and 400 dash.
Earlier this month, when the schedule for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles was released, any chance of McLaughlin-Levrone chasing a double in her prime events was cast aside. Such was the reality of an overlap between the 400 hurdles and the 400 dash. Unsurprisingly, Kersee was disappointed with the event organization, and publicly expressed his frustration.
“She could do it,” Kersee said of McLaughlin-Levrone, during an interview with the Southern California Media Group. “She’s proven she’s capable. Yeah, she’s capable of doing it. So why not give her the opportunity? We’re a sport fighting for attention. So why do you make this decision? This shows the weakness of our sport. We’ve got the stars, but we don’t get any help from the top.”
Do Kersee’s words resonate, swim fans?
One of the highlights of last summer’s World Championships in Singapore was Summer McIntosh’s pursuit of five individual medals, which included entry in the 800-meter freestyle. The Canadian teenager embraced the opportunity to challenge Katie Ledecky, the four-time Olympic champion in the event. Ultimately, McIntosh claimed the bronze medal, with Ledecky earning gold ahead of Australian Lani Pallister.
Ledecky is the world-record holder at 8:04.12, with McIntosh (8:05.07) and Pallister (8:05.98) ranking second and third in history. The potential of additional showdowns over 16 laps is enticing, with the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships the next opportunity. That meeting could be followed by clashes at the 2027 World Championships and, most notably, the next Olympics.
However, unless there are scheduling tweaks in the months ahead, don’t expect to see McIntosh in the 800 freestyle come LA28. Why? As is the case for McLaughlin-Levrone on the track, the schedule won’t allow McIntosh to showcase her vast talent in the event. When the schedule was released, it revealed the 200 butterfly and 800 freestyle will be held during the Day Nine finals session. As sensational as McIntosh might be, contesting both events isn’t manageable.
Obviously, there is no perfect schedule. Athletes and their coaches will always encounter a conflict in the program, forcing choices. But track and swimming are clamoring for attention in an ever-growing sporting landscape, and one of the ways to garner that spotlight is to showcase their elite athletes and deepest events. And that’s where the International Olympic Committee whiffed in the construction of the LA28 schedule.
In McLaughlin-Levrone’s case, the overlap of the 400 hurdles and 400 dash was a massive blunder. The American is one of the faces of her sport, an icon who has redefined the hurdles race and nearly took down a 40-year-old, doping-fueled record in the 400 dash. The McLaughlin-Levrone camp has long expressed an interest in chasing the 400 double, and to deny that chance through a schedule that will not allow the attempt is ignorance.
In the pool, the hype surrounding the Ledecky-McIntosh duel at the most recent World Championships was off the charts. And when Pallister proved herself in the same league with a gutsy performance in Singapore, the 800 freestyle suddenly had additional starpower. But the IOC’s schedule probably tossed that Los Angeles showdown in the dumpster, with McIntosh likely to race the 200 butterfly, where she narrowly missed the world record earlier this year.
Although McLaughlin-Levrone will not have luxury of swapping in another event for LA28, McIntosh could – theoretically – still go after five individual events, with the 200 freestyle a primary option. More, Kersee and Bob Bowman, who is now coaching McIntosh, could appeal to their sports’ governing bodies and the IOC for a schedule change.
Bottom line: Pleas for schedule changes should not be part of this equation. The triumvirate of World Athletics, World Aquatics and the IOC should have recognized what they have in McLaughlin-Levrone and McIntosh. They should have recognized the opportunity to treat fans to something special. And, in turn, they could have developed a schedule that met their stars’ needs, all while promoting their sports.
Instead, more than two years shy of the 2028 Olympic Games, we’re already asking: What could have been?
