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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone proves anything is possible for her at the Paris Olympics and beyond

James Brown

Follow our Olympic Games coverage in the run-up to the Paris Games.

Victory was assured when Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone turned the corner heading into the final stretch at Icahn Stadium in New York. He had surpassed the 400-meter dash at the New York Grand Prix on Sunday and ended any hope for the other seven runners in the field. The only thing left was to make Sanya Richards-Ross sweat.

McLaughlin-Levrone stated before the race that she was aiming for the American record. And as he glided down the last 100 meters, resisting the Manhattan wind, he almost made it. He clocked 48.75 seconds, just shy of Richards-Ross's national record of 48.70 set in 2006.

“Very close,” McLaughlin-Levrone told reporters afterward. “But you know what, everything is fine. There is plenty of time to do that. It is always about perfecting it and learning the race.”

It was the fastest time of anyone this season in the 400, his first time competing in the discipline in 11 months. This isn't even his best event. It was the second time in three weekends that McLaughlin-Levrone competed in an event that was not her specialty, and she took the reigning best time in the world this year.

Sunday was further proof of how McLaughlin-Levrone could do whatever he wanted in the sprint universe. So much so that her natural inclination is to want her to do everything.

On Sunday, he swept the 400-meter race, his first time competing in the discipline in 11 months. Three weekends ago, at the Los Angeles Grand Prix, he ran the 200-meter dash in 22.07 seconds, three-tenths of a second better than his time two weeks earlier and the second-fastest time in the world this year. Before this month of May, by world athleticsI hadn't run the 200 since 2018.

She is currently scheduled for an event at the U.S. Olympic Trials later this month: the 400-meter hurdles, in which she holds the world record. She is the reigning Olympic champion of the event and her showdown with Femke Bol of the Netherlands promises to be one of the most fascinating speed battles in Paris.

But watching McLaughlin-Levrone in a race is like circling a single block in a luxury rental car. Like having a single scoop of your favorite ice cream.

He will probably also be on relief duty in Paris. But its infrequency only generates demand. She is arguably the most dominant and also the most mysterious. Although she is definitely among the most talented, she is also among the most judicious.

She has the makings of an all-time great with the potential to accomplish deifying feats. But one of the fastest women in the world is executing a patient quest for historic glory.

His performance at the New York Grand Prix could create pressure to add the 400 meters to the 400 hurdles in the trials and go for the double. The 400-meter races are spread over the first three days of the Olympic trials, held June 21-30 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, and the obstacle courses begin on the 7th. At the Games Paris Olympics, the qualifiers, semi-finals and finals of Each event takes place on alternate days from August. 4-9.

She said if she did something crazy in New York, it might prompt her to add the 400 meters to the trials.

“I don't think I consider it crazy,” he told reporters, flashing his million-watt smile.

A double is not without risks. An injury in the 400 meters would jeopardize his best event, the 400 meters hurdles, the last event of the trials. He already missed the world championship in August due to injury. Furthermore, he has never run the 400-meter dash under the pressure of international betting. The first time he attends the Olympic Games would be a huge challenge.

But McLaughlin-Levrone is so captivating that it makes us want more from the living legend. One of the faces of New Balance, she is a model athlete, as recognized for her character and affability as for her speed.

Sha'Carri Richardson might end up being the biggest name in track and field, and she has a vibrant personality to match her explosiveness. Noah Lyles has a similar magnetism. He dominated the 200 meter race (19.77 seconds) at the New York Grand Prix.

But McLaughlin-Levrone is a superstar in his own right. Her wholesome kindness has its own appeal. Its limited presence increases demand. And her smooth running style is impressive in itself.

He has two Tokyo gold medals, one in the 400-meter hurdles and another in the 4×400-meter relay. A repeat would give him four gold medals just days after his 25th birthday.

Carl Lewis holds the American record with nine gold medals in track and field. Allyson Felix totaled 11 medals, seven gold, in his illustrious career, the most of any track and field athlete. When McLaughlin-Levrone is done, she could be the most decorated Olympian in the history of American track and field.

That's why, while track fans would love to see more of her, her choreography of this long piece is interesting. She appeared in five events in 2024 and raced in five disciplines. All of this is nothing more than preparation for the 400 meter hurdles, her working on the various elements to reach her peak in time to defend her crown in her preparation for the trials. But in doing so, she only showed the variety of her options.

It's not a crazy idea for her to go for the 400m double in Paris and then turn around and go for the 200m/100m double in Los Angeles in 2028. She could go for the 100m hurdles or even switch to the 800 meters if you wanted. She's that good.

McLaughlin-Levrone is running her own race. Pun intended. In a sport where accolades translate into income, in a country where stardom on the track has a shelf life, she seems to have no interest in displaying her greatness in the microwave. She is on a focused and meticulous path and her talent darkens the horizon. And the scarcity of her presence forces us to savor these flashes of brilliance.

(Photo of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone crossing the finish line on Sunday in New York: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

By James Brown

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