Over the last few months, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has had an uneasy relationship with the track and field fans. She came under scrutiny for not participating in the 400mH earlier this year, before finally returning to the discipline at the Edwin Moses Legends Meet. She put the noise behind her to clinch the gold in 400mH in Paris, shattering the world record. But days later, she was back in the firing line after the Wanda Diamond League schedule was released two days after her emotional Instagram post.

The 400mH set to be held on August 22, will not feature McLaughlin-Levrone, but will have Rushell Clayton and 400mH bronze medalist Femke Bol. This year saw Levrone return to the 400mH discipline after a gap of almost two years after a troubling knee injury kept her away. Naturally, the fans would want to see more of her on the track, especially after she ended up with gold in Paris, but she is staying away.

Before the announcement and the fan backlash that followed, the 25-year-old shared a heartfelt post on Instagram on August 13, to express her deep gratitude to her team and those who supported her. Reflecting on her journey, she wrote: “This post is dedicated to my team. My people. The people who stood with me through it all. All the sweat, blood, tears,” she began. “The days that almost killed me, and the ones I killed. Every detail. Everyone did their part. Executed their role. Not one variable overlooked. That’s what it takes to get here. That’s what it will take to stay here. Literally could not do it without them. It takes a village. I love you all! We did it. ❤️”

Her post featured photos with her husband Andre Levrone Jr., her sister Morgan McLaughlin, and her father Willie McLaughlin. Another set of photos saw her alongside her trainer and performance director Malachi Davis and massage therapist Mbaye Kujabi, who posed with “Team SYD” written on the back of his T-shirt.

In Paris, McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t just clinch gold in both the Women’s 400m hurdles and the Women’s 4x400m Relay; she also shattered her own world record in the 400m hurdles with an astonishing time of 50.37 seconds. This marked the sixth time she’s rewritten the record books. Her feat was impressive given she participated in only two 400mH events before the Olympics.

She first showed up for the Edwin Moses Meet on May 31, winning the race in 52.70s. Then, she followed it up by breaking the world record during the U.S. Olympic trials, running to the top spot in 50.65s. However, before these two events, she withdrew from the 400mH in the Oxy Invitational and then the LA Grand Prix. Given that she had competed in one World Athletics Championship in 2022 and a single Diamond League event in 2023, fans criticized her for staying away from the track. The criticism resurfaced following the revelation on August 15 that she won’t be participating in the Wanda Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland.

One fan quipped, “Sydney has gone back into hiding,” while another declared, “Time for Femke to dominate once again.” The chatter didn’t stop there—one more vocal critic suggested, “She is not allowed to compete overseas unless it’s world championships or the Olympics because Bobby Kersee hates the sport,” adding even more fuel to the fire.

Even though fans would’ve been eager to see her compete, it is understandable if she has decided to take a break. Competing in the Olympics and breaking the world record is a physically and mentally draining task. Taking a well-earned rest after the Games, perhaps shouldn’t invite criticism as it has. Besides, let’s not forget that she still had troubles with her knee at the start of this year. So a cautious approach is the way to go.

Sydney McLaughlin Levrone and her coach Bobby Kersee have been particular about the races she enters, opting not to participate in the 400m hurdles, at a Diamond League event since winning the gold in 2021. Last year she competed in the 400m race, at the Paris Diamond League before the U.S. Championships. This year, she decided to forgo all Diamond League competitions leading up to the Olympics.

Still, McLaughlin-Levrone has her eyes set on a bigger record, but there is another literal hurdle in her way.

Hurdle height controversy, will it impact Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 50-second goal?

McLaughlin Levrone is setting her sights on breaking the 50-second mark in the 400m hurdles by the time of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This has sparked discussions about the hurdle heights that currently stand six inches lower than those used in the men’s competition.

The height of hurdles in women’s competition is set at 76.2cm, while in the men’s hurdles, the height is set at 91.4cm. Lord Sebastian Coe, chief of World Athletics, has suggested that it might be time to raise the height because he believes, “these guys don’t really look like they are breaking their form very much.” Conversations with 400m hurdlers support this notion, according to Coe.

With potential changes on the horizon, will Sydney still manage to hit her target of running under 50 seconds, or will this new development throw a wrench into her plans?

Speaking after her record-breaking triumph in Paris, McLaughlin-Levrone said achieving a sub-50 score is very much possible. She said, “I do think 49 is possible and I do think the talent sitting in front of you can do that.” If the literal bar does get raised, we will expect the Paris gold medalist to raise her game as well.