ESPN Shock: Sprints Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ones …read more.
Known around the world for her dominance in the 400m hurdles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once again proved her versatility and brilliance on the track but this time without the barriers. In a dramatic and fiercely contested final at the 2025 U.S. Olympic Trials, McLaughlin-Levrone stormed to victory in the flat 400 meters, securing her place on Team USA and stunning fans with a performance that signals her growing mastery of multiple events.
The 24-year-old Olympic champion, more famously recognized for her record-breaking exploits in the hurdles, shifted focus to the flat 400m this season after a minor injury kept her cautious about overextending. What started as a strategic choice has turned into a bold new chapter in her career.
Crossing the finish line with a blazing time of 48.82 seconds a world-leading mark for the year McLaughlin-Levrone left no doubts about her ability to compete at the very highest level in the flat sprint. She held off strong competition from Talitha Diggs and Lynna Irby-Jackson, both of whom also earned their tickets to Paris after finishing second and third, respectively.
“I came here to challenge myself,” McLaughlin-Levrone told reporters after the race, catching her breath and smiling through tears. “I didn’t expect to be here in this event, but we’ve trained hard, and I trusted my coach, my body, and my faith. Today just shows that anything is possible.”
This victory marks another high point in McLaughlin-Levrone’s already glittering career. A two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 400m hurdles, she’s long been hailed as one of the most technically gifted athletes of her generation. Yet until now, her performances in the flat 400m have been a subplot promising but largely overshadowed by her historic times over hurdles.
That narrative has now changed.
Her performance on Saturday electrified Hayward Field, as the crowd watched her execute a near-flawless race. She exploded out of the blocks with confidence, stayed relaxed through the backstretch, and began to pull away with her signature stride over the final 150 meters. Her ability to shift gears and maintain control in the homestretch looked effortless a rare quality even among elite sprinters.
“She ran that race like a veteran 400m specialist,” said former Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross, now an NBC analyst. “Her strength, her pacing, her finish it was textbook. And remember, this is someone known for hurdling. That versatility is simply astounding.”
What made McLaughlin-Levrone’s win even more impressive is the short time she’s had to adapt her training. After dealing with a low-grade knee injury earlier in the season, she and her coach Bobby Kersee made the decision to temporarily step back from the hurdles and test her flat speed. The result has been nothing short of remarkable.
“I knew she had this in her,” Kersee said. “She’s a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. People talk about speed, but her real advantage is her brain she understands racing like few ever do.”
Her win also adds an intriguing twist to Team USA’s lineup for the Paris 2024 Games. While it’s still unclear whether she’ll double in both events, McLaughlin-Levrone has now cemented herself as a legitimate gold medal contender in the 400m. If she chooses to also compete in the 400m hurdles, she could become the first woman since Marie-José Pérec to attempt such a double at the Olympic level.
Fans and fellow athletes alike are buzzing about the possibilities.
“She’s rewriting the playbook,” said Allyson Felix, the retired American legend and nine-time Olympic medalist. “I’ve never seen anyone take on new challenges like Sydney and make it look so easy. I’m proud of her and excited to see what she does next.”
As McLaughlin-Levrone stood on the podium, draped in the American flag, the crowd rose to their feet. Her smile said it all: this wasn’t just a win it was a message.
“I want to inspire the next generation to dream bigger,” she said. “If you’re passionate and stay true to yourself, the results will come.”
With the Paris Olympics just weeks away, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is once again proving why she’s not just a hurdles queen she’s a reigning empress of the track.
