Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is finding her reign increasingly precarious. This year, the world record holder and reigning Olympic Champion has had the rug pulled from under her by Femke Bol, who has been nipping at her heels. On July 20, just days before the Paris Olympics, Bol once again turned heads at the London Athletics event. The Dutch star truly made waves with a standout performance in the women’s 400m hurdles, setting a new meet record with a time of 51.30 seconds.

Bol’s dazzling run not only stole the show but also sent a clear message to McLaughlin-Levrone: the competition is heating up, and she’s no longer the only game in town. After the race, Femke Bol didn’t mince words. She confidently remarked, “I truly love to run here in this stadium, it is so special and to put on this great field is fantastic. I am excited for Paris and of course put on my best race there and I am looking forward to racing Sydney that will push us both.”

At the moment, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is pretty much sitting at the top of the 400m hurdles world rankings with a blazing time of 50.65 seconds, achieved on June 30, 2024, during the Olympic Trials. But Femke Bol is close on her heels, holding the second spot with a notable 50.95 seconds achieved on July 14, 2024. These two athletes are the only women to ever break the 51-second barrier in this event.

It’s also worth noting that McLaughlin-Levrone previously set the bar high with the second-fastest time in history 50.68 seconds at the 2022 World Championships, proving she’s a force to be reckoned with. But there is the shocker she’s never lost a 400m hurdles race since 2022.

Sydney McLaughlin and Femke Bol have indeed competed against each other on two occasions before. They are scheduled to meet for the time at the upcoming Paris Olympics. But when did they compete?

The big face-off: McLaughlin-Levrone vs. Femke Bol, will Tokyo history repeat or will new records be set?

The Tokyo Olympics were the highlight of their career. During that event, Sydney McLaughlin Levrone surpassed the 2016 Olympic Champion Dalilah Muhammad, who has a personal best of 51.58 seconds, in the 400m hurdles. Bol secured second place in the race but has since shown remarkable improvement by running more than a second faster than her bronze-winning time of 52.03 seconds. With achievements such as excelling in the 400m setting two world records being named European Athlete of the Year twice and winning the Diamond League thrice, she has solidified her position in the sport. Currently holding three of the top eleven performances ever recorded, McLaughlin Levrone leads with six appearances on that list.

While, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is 2x Olympic champion, 3x world champion, and 3x diamond league winner. Despite their competitive edge, the mutual respect between these two is palpable. As Femke Bol recently noted, “We’re friendly, and we’re with the same sponsor. We both realize that the 400m hurdles is not an easy event, and I have a lot of respect for her. I know how committed and hard-working she is. We don’t see each other a lot, but we’ll see each other in Paris.”

Remember the 2022 World Championship? McLaughlin-Levrone edged past Bol but last season saw a shift in fortunes. With McLaughlin-Levrone briefly focusing on the 400m flat and sidelined by a knee injury, Bol seized the moment, clinching the title at the 2023 World Championships in McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence. But Femke Bol sees Sydney as an inspiration too as she previously, stated, “It’s really inspirational and motivational how she is racing, and seeing how much she is raising the bar… Because the moment you see someone do it, even though she is a really exceptional athlete, there is something you’re headed to think, ‘Maybe, I can also do it!’

With both athletes now in top form, track fans are in for a showdown that’s set to be a real barnburner. McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol will go head-to-head, each aiming to push the other to the limit and raise the bar. So, who do you think will come out on top – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone or Femke Bol?