“Dalilah, you truly did just change the game for all of us.” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s voice carried an unmistakable sense of admiration. “Seeing you break that world record after so long of it being there just inspired all of us.” The room had others—among them—but for a fleeting moment, none of that mattered. It was Sydney and Dalilah Muhammad, two of the greatest hurdlers in U.S. track and field history, bound not by rivalry but by respect. A little back story would help, wouldn’t it? 

Dalilah Muhammad had been the storm that Sydney had to weather, the veteran who pushed her limits time and time again. In the early days, Dalilah wasn’t just competition—she was a shadow, an obstacle, a relentless force that made Sydney question if she’d ever truly break through. But that moment? That moment wasn’t about past battles. It was about appreciation, about one champion looking another in the eyes and saying, You did that. And yet, Sydney knew. She knew what lay ahead. 

The flowers Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone handed Dalilah were real, but so was the fire in her own chest. Because in track and field, inspiration and rivalry exist side by side. The past is written, but what about the future? The future was still up for the taking. And for both of them, the future battle is set in Grand Slam Track. Well, Sydney had a lot of things to say about her approach in the upcoming track battle. 

Appreciation is all good, but what about the approach or taking things up in a new format? In the press conference before the Grand Slam Track, Sydney said, “You know, you get to see us in the hurdles. But just having this dual side of it of getting the fun opportunity to sprint is also just really exciting. I think it is us to show the whole athlete.”   Sydney was talking about showing characters on the track. In the next few days in Jamaica, she would concentrate on her events. But at the same time, she will have the responsibility to display the “whole athlete” part. Additionally, she mentioned the meaning of GST brought to her. 

In a one-to-one interaction with Citius Mag on, the defending Olympic champion said, “I think this is a cool opportunity for the athletes, for the sport, for the exposure, and yeah, I think to see it come to fruition, everybody’s really excited to be here, and so it’s going to be really cool tomorrow just to see the energy in the atmosphere.” Also, she claimed to be “excited,” despite never competing on Jamaican land before, and according to her, her only weakness could be her “injury.” Otherwise, she is all set to run in two events for the very first time in a contest away from any such global competitions. And who will be her challengers? 

As per the list published by GST, the women’s long hurdles (400mH and 400m) have Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Rushell Clayton in the racers list whereas in the challengers list, the names are Cassandra Tate, Shiann Salmon, Andrenette Knight, Cathelijn Peeters and Dalilah Muhammad-—the legend who haunted SML like no one else. Do you know the story? 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone still remembers what happened five years ago 

Once upon a time, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was the prodigy, the next big thing in track and field. All eyes were on her. She had the poise, the power, and the pedigree. But back then? Dalilah Muhammad was the queen. The gold medalist. The world champion. The one who had been through the fire and come out forged in gold.And Sydney? She was chasing.

It was 2019. First came Oslo’s Bislett Games. Sydney struck gold. She beats Dalilah. It felt like the tide was turning—the changing of the guard. But then came the U.S. Championships in July. Dalilah flipped the script. With the whole world watching, she dropped a stunner: 52.20 seconds—a new world record. Sydney, running one of her best races ever, could only watch.

Fast forward to Doha, September 2019—the World Championships. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone came in sharper, stronger, and more focused. She ran 52.23, a time that on any other day, in any other year, could’ve won gold. But Dalilah? Dalilah had other plans. She ran 52.16. Another world record. Another statement of dominance. Another blow to the dream Sydney had been chasing since high school.

Sydney didn’t hide from it. In her book, Far Beyond Gold, she laid it all bare: “My 52.88 time was one of the fastest I’d ever run, less than a half-second from Yulia Pechonkina’s sixteen-year-old record.” But Dalilah didn’t just beat that record. She obliterated it—leaving Sydney stunned, breathless, and, in her own words, “Shocked. Stunned. Confused.”

Because how could someone come back just a month after defeat and not just beat you—but take your dream right out from under your spikes? “Once I’d beaten Dalilah, I’d naively thought I knew what she had in the tank. Yet, she beat me. Not just beat me but demolished me—and took the record I had been dreaming of with her.”

That day still haunts. That race still echoes. It wasn’t just a loss—it was a lesson. Dalilah Muhammad reminded the world—and Sydney—that greatness doesn’t yield easily. It fights back. It answers. It rewrites what you thought was possible. And it was that very fire that would fuel Sydney’s own transformation. But before she could become the face of the sport, she had to stare down the shadow of the queen—and learn what it truly meant to rise.