Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record by running the 400-meter hurdles in 50.65 seconds to win the U.S. Olympic trials. This feat marked the fifth time she has set a new record, with four of those records achieved at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field. McLaughlin-Levrone’s victory was by nearly two seconds over Anna Cockrell and more than two seconds over Jasmine Jones. This stunning performance redefines what is possible in track and field.
After the world record for the 400-meter hurdles remained stagnant from 2003-2019, American Dalilah Muhammad broke it twice in 2019. McLaughlin-Levrone was inspired by Muhammad’s success and made key changes to her training regimen under Coach Bobby Kersee. Moving to 14 strides between the early hurdles was a game-changer for McLaughlin-Levrone, propelling her to be a dominant force in the event since setting the record in 2021.
McLaughlin-Levrone expressed gratitude for the growth she has experienced both as an athlete and a person under Kersee’s guidance. Instead of a highly anticipated showdown with Femke Bol of the Netherlands, there is now speculation about when the 50-second mark will be broken in the 400-meter hurdles race. Hurdling legend Edwin Moses believes that it could happen soon, with the possibility of the mark being broken as soon as the Olympic final on August 8th. With McLaughlin-Levrone’s incredible achievements, the future of the event looks promising.