Gianna Woodruff, a two-time Olympian and the only female track and field athlete representing Panama in Paris in addition to the reigning Pan American Games women's 400-meter hurdles gold medalist and the South American record holder at 53.69 seconds, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Aug. 4 in the opening round and her pursuit to reach the Aug. 8 final. Woodruff, 30, reflects on her seventh-place finish in the 2021 Olympic final in Tokyo and competing in front of a limited audience as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in a race that was highlighted by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States achieving a world record. She shares how much the event has continued to evolve during the past three years, with the potential Olympic finals rematch involving Dutch star Femke Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone expected to produce another world record and possibly the first sub-50 performance in global history. Woodruff revisits her season-best 55.45 to secure second place July 19 at the Holloway Pro Classic in Florida and how encouraging the race was in her final tuneup before competing in Paris. She examines the consistency of competing in six consecutive global championship meets, including the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, the 2019 World Championships in Qatar, followed by four straight years racing in Tokyo in 2021, as well as back-to-back World Championships in Oregon and Hungary. Woodruff also analyzes how beneficial it has been in her training in Arkansas to simulate running rounds in preparation for three potential races in a five-day span in Paris. She explains how impactful and inspiring it is to have an elite group of professional athletes training in Fayetteville, in addition to the exceptional group of competitors from the University of Arkansas, and how it will enhance Woodruff's Olympic experience to see several familiar faces from multiple countries. Woodruff also shares how significant her faith has been in helping her practice patience and continue to trust the process, despite uncertainty throughout the season. She speaks about how meaningful it will be to have family and friends present to provide support in Paris after they were unable to make the trip to Tokyo due to health guidelines and protocols. Woodruff also discusses her motivation to not only reach another Olympic final, but also to cherish the experience and to appreciate the culture and history that comes with being in Paris, where she triumphed in her Diamond League debut in 2021. In addition, she revisits winning the Pan American Games gold medal in 56.44 in November in Chile, and how challenging it was to continue to race for more than two months beyond the World Championships last August in Budapest, as well as another six weeks following the Diamond League final at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon. Woodruff also revealed that she is scheduled to be inducted into the Panamanian Athletics Hall of Fame during the fall.