Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone flexed her muscles at the Brussels Diamond League finals, proving once again she’s not just the best—she’s practically a legend. Even though she wasn’t eligible to race in the main events, the meet organizers rolled out the red carpet and set up two special races just for her.

In the 400-meter special event, she breezed through with a time of 49.11 seconds—beating the actual 400m winner, Marileidy Paulino, who clocked 49.45 seconds. It’s like she decided to show up everyone just for fun! And if that wasn’t enough, she did it again in the 200-meter, scorching through with a 22.40-second finish to snag another win. With her Paris Olympics gold medals still gleaming, this season is looking like one for the books.

On X, Track Spice reported that Dunellen will celebrate Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s achievements at the Olympics as part of her homecoming ceremony. Her winning two gold models at the Paris Olympics and lowering the 400m hurdle world record for the sixth time calls for it. This celebration of the queen will be on September 23rd in Columbia Park at 5 pm.

The official poster of the event reads: “We are excited to welcome 4x Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to our Miracle Mile! Join us as we celebrate her accomplishments in the 2024 Paris Olympics games, where she won two gold medals and set her sixth world record in the women’s 400m hurdles.” And guess what? This isn’t the first time her hometown has thrown a party for her—clearly, Dunellen knows how to celebrate its local hero!

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is no stranger to the spotlight in her hometown of Dunellen. After her stunning victory at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, they named the local track after her—talk about a hero’s welcome! The town threw a heartfelt ceremony in her honor, where Sydney took a moment to reflect on the support she’s received from her community.

She said, “I stand on that track, and I stand on that podium as one person, but there are thousands and thousands behind me who are on my team. And I truly appreciate every single one of you for being here and supporting and screaming and just being a part of this community because, at the end of the day, people may not know where Dunellen is, and I may have to tell them some landmarks so that they know, but we know, and I love all of you, and I truly appreciate it, and it’s an honor to be here.” As she celebrates yet another incredible season, fans are buzzing with anticipation about what’s next for this hurdling powerhouse.

What’s next for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone? 

As the 2024 season has now concluded, it seems that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone already has some ideas about what’s next. Even though she prioritizes the Olympics and trials over everything else, she could see herself competing at some of the European meets.

Talking to Citius Mag, she said, “I think if our schedule allows for it, I think we sit down strategically and assess what it is we’re trying to accomplish and the best way to get there. So I think if some of these European meets make sense, fitting into that schedule, then absolutely. But the number one priority is always Trials and then championships, and then from there we come to meets like this,” But these are not the only competitions she will compete in next year.

The hurdler was the first one who signed for Michael Johnson’s mega event, Grand Slam Track. The circuit will launch next year with four meets, following the tennis Grand Slam model. It also promises athletes a lot of monetary gain for their performances. The total prize money across the events is $12.6 million spread across the four meets.

Winners of each event will get $100,000 while also getting basic compensation for participating. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said during a launch event that the whole extravaganza was going to elevate the sport to the next level. It will also help athletes get better compensation for their efforts. With these exciting new ventures, it looks like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is set to light up the track scene next year with a full slate of competitions. Fans can gear up for a thrilling season as she dives back into the action and brings her signature flair to numerous events. Are you excited? Let us know below!