by Deji Ogeyingbo – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has redefined what it means to be fast in track and field. In 2024, she shattered records and raised questions about where her extraordinary talent could take her next.
The highlight of McLaughlin-Levrone’s year came in Paris, where she set a stunning world record of 50.37 seconds in the 400m hurdles. She sliced 0.28s off her previous best. It was her sixth world record in the event, building on her first record of 51.90 seconds set in 2021 in Eugene.
Her dominance goes beyond the hurdles. In June, she clocked 48.75s in the 400m flat in New York. That’s a time many elite 400m specialists can only dream of. When she returned to the hurdles later, her unmatched speed made history inevitable.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, she dropped jaws with a time of 50.65s, breaking her own world record by 0.03 seconds. It was her fifth record at Hayward Field, a venue that has become her stage for unforgettable performances. McLaughlin-Levrone also powered the U.S. women’s 4x400m relay team to gold in Paris, running a blazing second leg in 47.71 seconds. The team’s final time of 3:15.27 was the second-fastest in history.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s career has been built on exceptional talent, but her work ethic and ability to adapt set her apart. She shifted to training under legendary coach Bobby Kersee after losing to Dalilah Muhammad in 2019. Kersee made one critical change: reducing her stride pattern between hurdles from 15 to 14. That tweak unlocked new potential and changed the trajectory of her career.
Her versatility is rare. She trained in the 100m hurdles, 200m, and 400m, sharpening her speed and technical skills. It wasn’t just training—it was preparation for total dominance. The 400m hurdles demands the perfect blend of endurance, speed, and technique. McLaughlin-Levrone mastered all three.
On the grid, she seems the only athlete who is remotely close to the talent level of Usain Bolt. Bolt wasn’t just fast, he was untouchable. McLaughlin-Levrone is building a similar legacy in her events. She wins by margins that seem impossible in elite track and field.
Her dominance mirrors Bolt’s 100m and 200m reign. Like Bolt, she has a knack for peaking at the biggest events. Her 50.37s world record is as mind-bending as Bolt’s 9.58 in the 100m.
But could she match Bolt’s reach across multiple events? Bolt ruled two events on the track. McLaughlin-Levrone already owns one. If she fully commits to the 400m flat, she could reshape that record, too.
Track and field’s next big question is whether McLaughlin-Levrone will focus on the 400m after conquering the hurdles. Her 48.75s performance hints at world-record potential there. The current 400m world record, set by Marita Koch in 1985, stands at 47.60s. It’s considered nearly unbreakable.
McLaughlin-Levrone isn’t talking about targets. But her results speak for themselves. Every race she runs feels like a preview of something historic.
Few athletes in track history have mixed dominance and potential like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. If she turns her focus to the 400m, the record books might need another rewrite. For now, she’s track and field’s undisputed queen, redefining what’s possible, one breathtaking race at a time.