Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has made headlines once again as she nearly shattered the longest-standing world record in sprinting during her spectacular victory in the flat 400m at the World Championships held in Tokyo. Clocking an impressive 47.78 seconds, McLaughlin-Levrone achieved the second-fastest time in history, just shy of Marita Koch’s world record of 47.60 seconds, set in 1985. Reflecting on her performance, McLaughlin-Levrone remarked, “I think barriers are broken when the time is right. Records come when they’re supposed to. It’s really just about executing and trusting the process.”
This victory marks a significant milestone for McLaughlin-Levrone as she becomes the first athlete to win world titles in both the flat 400m and the 400m hurdles. Notably, this was her debut in the flat 400m at a global championship, showcasing her versatility and talent. The silver medalist, Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, finished with a time of 47.98 seconds, making it the third-fastest time in the event's history. Paulino had previously won Olympic gold in this event just a year prior.
Earlier in the season, McLaughlin-Levrone had planned to compete in the 400m hurdles at the 2023 World Championships but withdrew due to an injury. Instead, she opted for the flat 400m, seeking a new challenge after going undefeated in the hurdles since winning silver in 2019. Entering the World Championships, she was seeded third, with a personal best of 48.90 seconds, behind Olympic silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser and Paulino.
McLaughlin-Levrone credited her coach, Bobby Kersee, for motivating her with boxing metaphors, stating, “He said, ‘You’ve got to go take the belt. It’s not yours. You’ve got to go earn it.’ That’s what we wanted to do today.” Despite facing skepticism from others leading up to the event, she proved her capabilities on the track. Prior to this championship, no woman had come within half a second of Koch’s world record since its inception.
In the semifinals, McLaughlin-Levrone broke a 19-year-old American record, previously held by Sanya Richards-Ross, with a time of 48.29 seconds. She further improved her performance in the finals by finishing at 47.78 seconds, solidifying her status as a formidable competitor in the sprinting world.
Looking ahead, McLaughlin-Levrone has not disclosed her plans for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but she has hinted at the possibility of competing in both the flat 400m and the 400m hurdles at future global championships. When asked about this potential dual focus, she expressed the need for careful scheduling, saying, “I’m going to need some days off in there if that was the case because it’s tough fields in both events.”
In addition to her victory, the championships also saw Collen Kebinatshipi winning the men’s 400m in a remarkable 43.53 seconds, making history as the first man from Botswana to secure a world track and field title. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles led the qualifiers into the men’s 200m final with a time of 19.51 seconds, aiming to replicate Usain Bolt’s remarkable achievement of four consecutive world titles in this event.
As the championship progresses, all eyes remain on Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone as she continues to break barriers and set new standards in the world of athletics.
