Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone took the track and field world by surprise at the U.S. Olympic trials. While many expected the 400m hurdles specialist to perform well and qualify for the Paris Olympics, she not only did that but also a new world record. The two-time Olympic champion bettered her own world record for a mindboggling fourth time, running a 50.65s race. Rodney Green and Justin Gatlin earlier discussed the significance of what she achieved.

Gatlin and Green discussed many athletes like Kishane Thompson, Noah Lyles, and others. However, Rodney Green couldn’t help but highlight how Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continues to move the goalpost further out of reach for even her toughest challengers. Green expressed astonishment at how little practice she had before her historic Olympic trials run.

“Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the race of mankind, like, mankind has ever seen,” Green said in the latest episode of the Ready Set Go podcast. “She broke the world record at the Olympic trials, not the Olympics. She has another four weeks,” he added to put things into perspective. He also reiterated his stance on Femke Bol being “prepared to die to beat this girl,” at the Paris Olympics.

The retired sprinter also argued that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone isn’t running at her best yet. McLaughlin-Levrone has been beset with injuries since 2023. She withdrew from the World Championships last year because of a knee injury and has pulled out of other contests as well. In fact, the three-time world champion went into the team trials with just one start under her belt.

The world record holder made her season debut on May 31st, at the 2024 Edwin Moses Legends Meet. The 400m improved her 52.70s time by over two seconds within a month. Who knows what else she could achieve with another? Justin Gatlin speculated Femke Bol’s frustration.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone upped the ante for Femke Bol

Femke Bol is the American hurdling specialist’s biggest rival on the world stage. The Dutch phenom won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, sharing the podium with gold medalist McLaughlin-Levrone. However, she established herself as a force to be reckoned with in 2023. Bol won the 400m hurdles solo and relay at the 2023 World Championship. However, McLaughlin-Levrone just made things harder.

Sprinting legend Justin Gatlin explained that Bol must have been training to beat the world-record time for months. However, the 24-year-old American returned to the stage and improved the world record with only a month left before the Olympics. Gatlin argued that Bol may be feeling frustrated as she has to contend with a new world record with not enough time to train.

So, although the 24-year-old hurdler may have given fans some of the greatest performances in track and field history, she may push the envelope even further at the Paris Olympics. No matter the outcome, Gatlin and Green will be there to dissect it.