If you think back-to-back 400m hurdles Olympic golds would have satiated Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s hunger, think again. She is motivated in her bid to complete a unique hat-trick at the LA28 Olympics in her adopted hometown. “I love pushing the bounds of what’s possible,” she said ahead of the inaugural Grand Slam Track event. Having broken her own world record for a sixth time in Paris, she was the hot favorite heading into the Jamaican capital, Kingston, on April 4 in her season opener, and boy, did she lay down a marker.

On the opening day of the competition, she clocked a world-leading time of 52.76 seconds in the 400m hurdles. But she wasn’t just done yet. She ran a smooth 50.32 to win the 400m flat as well, despite windy conditions, taking home a nifty 100 grand. Notably, her long-time rival, Dalilah Muhammad, recorded a time of 54.59 seconds in the hurdles, well behind number one. So this raises the question: Is there anybody who can stop McLaughlin-Levrone? Well, former Olympian and gold medalist Justin Gatlin shared his take.

Talking on the Ready Set Go podcast on Friday, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green discussed everything Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Gaitlin pointed out why exactly it will be tough for Sydney’s opponents to catch her.

“It’d be hard. It’d be very, very difficult to bet against Sydney, especially in her premiere event or any other event that she steps into. Because Sydney is the kind of person like she’s just not going to throw herself into a competition. She’s going to do her research. She’s going to train for it,” he said.

He was further astounded by how easily the Olympic gold medalist dropped a 50 like it was nothing! McLaughlin-Levrone dominated the track last year in what was a watershed season for her.

• Olympic Gold – 400m Hurdles: Set a new world record: 50.37 seconds (previous: 50.65).

• Olympic Gold – 4x400m Relay: Helped Team USA run 3:15.27 — North American record and second-fastest ever.

• Won 200m at LA Grand Prix: Beat top sprinters Gabby Thomas and Abby Steiner.

• Won 400m at New York Grand Prix: Clocked world-leading time of 48.75 seconds, nearly matching her personal best.

• Diamond League Wins (Brussels): 200m: 22.40 sec and 400m: 49.11 sec (Ineligible for finals due to qualification rules)

She has started 2024 on the same strong footing, and her interview before the GST event gave an insight into her competitive mindset.

“I think track and field right now is in such a unique place where you’re seeing athletes just do unbelievable things every year. And it’s just so exciting to be a part of that, especially bringing it back home for LA. I’m just going to continue to see what’s possible, figure out what I need to work on and fix and see how much lower we can get those times. I think there’s definitely a different motivation from when you’re still trying to reach a certain point or pinnacle. But I think what keeps you there is just always finding something to keep chasing,” she said.

While others are trying to catch up to her, she seems to be in a competition with herself. No wonder that she has frequently beaten her own world record. Gaitlin brought up another reason behind McLaughlin-Levrone’s dominance.

“And you got to remember, her coach is Bobby. Bobby is that kind of guy. He does not want to lose. He wants you to put excellent out on the track. And watching her run at Grand Slam, it was hard to bet against her for the 400 hurdles and open 4-2 in that situation. So she ran away with it,” he mentioned.

When she arrived on the scene, Dalilah Muhammad was the queen in the category. While Dalilah saw off McLaughlin narrowly at the 2019 World Championships (Doha), the latter has gotten the better of the former since then.

McLaughlin broke Muhammad’s world record by clocking 51.90 seconds at the US Olympic trials in 2021, becoming the first woman to run the event in under 52 seconds. Then at the Tokyo Olympics, McLaughlin won gold with a new world record of 51.46 seconds, while Muhammad finished second with a time of 51.58 seconds.

At the 2022 World Championships, McLaughlin again came out on top with a jaw-dropping world record time of 50.68 seconds as Dalilah took bronze with a time of 53.13 seconds. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the final with a world-record time of 50.65 seconds while Muhammad finished sixth with a time of 54.27 seconds, which was not sufficient to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Paris Games. This marked a pivotal moment in their rivalry. 

And now, when she is ruling the division herself, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is preparing herself for new goals.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set to test her speed in 100m and hurdles at Philly

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has always been a force on the track. But now she’s eyeing a whole new speed zone. Fresh off her Grand Slam Track double in the 400 mH and 400m, the Olympic gold medalist dropped a surprise that could reshape her legacy. She’s setting her sights on the 100 meters and the 100m hurdles. And yes, that’s happening sooner than expected.

Sydney revealed, “We might do the hundred-meter hurdles. We might do the two or four. So, it’s going to be a little of everything.” She made it clear she’s far from content with just dominating the 400 m H. Her ambitions are expanding, and she’s not tiptoeing into this transition. The track star confirmed that fans can expect her in the short sprints at the upcoming Philly meet.

“But right now we’re looking at the hundred hurdles for Philly,” she said, adding fuel to the buzz building around her potential sprint showdown. The move isn’t just experimental. It’s rather a bold statement. “I just want to kind of test myself over a range of events and kind of see where I fare up with the best of the best,” she explained. If her past is any indicator, McLaughlin-Levrone isn’t just testing the waters—she’s coming to make waves.