Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been breaking records left and right, often outdoing herself. She had her sights set on competing in the Diamond League finals on September 13 and 14, but unfortunately, she won’t be racing in an official capacity. This opens the door for her biggest rival, Femke Bol, to potentially snatch McLaughlin-Levrone’s 400m hurdles world record in her absence. But can she really do it? It seems like a long shot!

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, fresh off defending her Olympic titles in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay, had initially planned to compete in the 400m and 200m events at the Brussels Diamond League final after receiving an invitation for the same. However, due to Diamond League rules, she was deemed ineligible because she didn’t compete in any of the regular season events. This sparked quite a bit of controversy, and in the end, McLaughlin-Levrone was denied the chance to race. Now, her rival Femke Bol has an undisputed opportunity to shine and potentially finish on top.

According to athleticsweekly.com, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record holder in the 400m hurdles, is determined to keep pushing her limits, and it’s not just about hurdles anymore. At only 25, she’s already shattered the world record six times, most recently clocking 50.37 seconds in Paris. This broke her own record of 50.65 seconds from the U.S. Olympic trials. But now, initially, she was also setting her sights on improving her personal bests in the 200m and 400m. As she puts it, “I still feel physically and mentally fresh, I wanted to run one more meeting to finish the season.”

Last year, at Hayward Field, with a best of 48.74 in the 400 meters event she wanted to participate in in Brussels, aiming at breaking the U.S. record of 48.70 set by Sanya Richards Ross. McLaughlin Levrone’s story in the sporting world so far this year portrays her as not just a hurdles specialist but also one who is stepping into sprint events with her recent achievement of a personal best time of 22.07 seconds in the 200 meters event held in Los Angeles during May.

Sydney McLaughlin Levrone had a desire to participate in the 200-meter race well, and her winning streak shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon! During her 200-meter race in Los Angeles in May, she achieved a personal record time of 22:07 seconds. But as she had planned, “My goal is to improve my personal records,” she said. “I started my season this spring in the 200m and 400m and now I would like to finish with them as well, assess where I stand at those distances now, after having focused a whole year on the 400m hurdles.” She added that her season is always centered around major championships, with her program carefully planned by coach Bobby Kersee to maximize her performance.

With Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone missing out on the Diamond League, she’s set her sights on making a statement next year and keeping Femke Bol on her toes. Despite not being part of the Diamond League this season, Sydney’s not slowing down. The Allianz Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on September 13-14 might not have the same prestige as the Diamond League, but the crowd is buzzing with excitement for what Sydney has in store. As McLaughlin-Levrone prepares for her next major competition, the question on everyone’s mind is: can Bol keep up?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs. Femke Bol, a rivalry that keeps the track on the edge

Ever since her loss at the 2019 World Championships event in track and field sports competition, Sydney McLaughlin Levrone has been on a winning streak. The intense competition that has developed between her and Femke Bol is now widely followed by fans in the track and field community. Their rivalry was ignited during their showdown at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, where McLaughlin Levrone secured the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles event while also breaking a world record along the way. They crossed paths more at the 2022 World Championships, where McLaughlin Levrone again left Bol behind to set a new world record.

Bol, determined to make her mark, claimed victory at the 2023 World Championships while McLaughlin-Levrone was absent. She also came close to breaking McLaughlin-Levrone’s previous world record, stirring excitement for their next encounter. Bol’s remarkable 47.93 split time added intrigue for the match-up that came from the fact that he anchored the final leg of the mixed 4×400 meters relay at the Paris Games, in which the Netherlands won the gold by beating Trinidad and Tobago by just over half a second in a 93-second anchor leg.

Nonetheless, when the time arrived, the victory of which McLaughlin-Levrone was capable of afloat was outlined as she beat her own record and produced the time of 50.37 seconds to confirm she was the fastest again. Now, with Bol preparing for her best show at the Diamond League final, it looks like McLaughlin-Levrone is also serious about showing her best performance in Brussels.

One of the more eagerly anticipated performances is by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who is expected to perform for the Allianz Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels on September 13-14. The 25-year-old will be participating in both the 200m and 400m exhibition races with the aim of improving on her personal best. These events, which are not on the Diamond League calendar, were incorporated to honor her great achievements, such as the 400m hurdles world record she set in Paris.

With that being said, drop a comment if you want them to compete! After all, McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol are the only two women in history to have broken the 51.00-second barrier in the 400m hurdles!