The U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials concluded with a major statement from perhaps the most dominant track and field athlete in the world right now.
There was no doubt that 400m hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone would qualify for Paris. All eyes were on how fast she would run and by how much of a margin she would win.
The 24-year-old McLaughlin-Levrone promised before the final that she would “go big,” and she lived up to her word. Competing against a talented field, McLaughlin-Levrone improved her own world record from 50.68 to 50.65 seconds to close out the final day of competition at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
“I’m just surprised, confused and shocked,” McLaughlin-Levrone told NBC’s Louis Johnson after the race.
Unmatched Advantages
By the way, second-place finisher Anna Cockrell (52.64 seconds) and third-place finisher Jasmine Jones (52.77 seconds) both ran personal bests to qualify for the Olympics, making them two of the 12 fastest women in history. still He finished just two seconds behind the current Olympic champion, a display of dominance straight out of a video game.
No one has dominated the sport more than McLaughlin-Levrone. She owns seven of the 10 fastest times of all time and hasn’t lost the 400m hurdles since losing silver to fellow American Dalilah Muhammad at the 2019 world championships in a then-world record time of 52.16 seconds. (Muhammad finished sixth in Sunday’s race, the final Olympic trials of her illustrious career.)
McLaughlin-Levrone’s Incredible World Record Progress
McLaughlin-Levrone, who missed last year’s World Championships in Budapest due to injury, set a world record in the 400m hurdles at last year’s tournament. Five US and World Championship Finals.
2021 U.S. Olympic Trials – 51.90 seconds
2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) – 51.46 seconds
2022 US World Championship Qualifiers – 51.41 seconds
2022 World Championships – 50.68 seconds
2024 U.S. Olympic Selection – 50.65 seconds
Russia’s Yulia Pechonkina held the world record at 52.34 for 16 years. Dalila Muhammad set a new record of 52.20 at the 2019 U.S. World Championships Qualifiers and then further improved it to 52.16 at the aforementioned World Championships in Qatar. And McLaughlin-Levrone has taken the race to unprecedented heights since. She’s running high-level times in the 400m flat, but there are 10 30-inch barriers in her way.
Is there anyone who could beat McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris?
Barring a completely unexpected event, the only woman who comes close to McLaughlin-Levrone is Femke Boll of the Netherlands, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, silver at the 2022 World Championships and gold at last year’s World Championships in McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence. Her personal best of 51.41 seconds is the third-fastest ever and she broke the indoor 400m breaststroke world record earlier this year, making her a force to be reckoned with.
It’s been almost two years since the World Championships in Oregon, when Boll won silver and McLaughlin-Levrone won gold. The pair were never destined to compete against each other in the 400m hurdles, 400m flat, or even the 4x400m relay. They’ll compete in both the hurdles and the anchor position in the Olympic relay. If anyone has a chance to build a long-lasting epic rivalry with the former University of Kentucky star, it’s the 24-year-old Boll.
What’s clear is that McLaughlin-Levrone is one of a kind. She is the indisputable greatest to have ever competed in her sport, and when the Olympic track events begin in early August (women’s 400m hurdles heats on August 4, final on August 8), audiences around the world will get to see why she is one of the most special athletes of her generation.
