During her incredible Paris Olympics stint, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone walked away with not 1 but 2 Olympic gold medals. The hurdler became the first woman to defend her Olympic title in the 400m hurdles. But she also surprised fans by returning to the track for the 4x400m relay. However, the 25-year-old seemed to have pulled off a Houdini right after until she decided to grace the Allianz Memorial Van Damme with her presence. 

The Olympian contested the 200m and 400m invitationals at the Brussels Diamond League. But what would the finals look like if she was allowed to compete in them? On a recent episode of the ‘Ready Set Go’ podcast, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green discuss this scenario. In the 200m finals, Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Brown sped past her competitors in 22.20 seconds. 

The track and field legend first gave credit where it was due. “I’m gonna give it to Brittany because she has been finding her niche in her own this season.” However, he did clarify, “But it wouldn’t be an easy win for Brittany at all.” Compared to Brown’s 22.20 seconds, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone scorched to the finish in 22.40 seconds. The race would definitely be close. “I’m gonna say that because you see how Sydney is. Sydney evaluates her field that she’s running against.” 

Gatlin stated that she understands the odds every time she steps onto the track. He also believed that the 25-year-old’s time of 22.40 was because her competitors weren’t giving her a tough fight. “So she just ran for the time, and she just kept turning over, and that’s the time that came up on the clock.” Did he believe she could’ve pulled up a better time? Seeing how the hurdler opened the race with 22.00, the former sprinter definitely thought she could do more. “So, you know that she has it in the tank for this season.” Does this mean she’d walk away with the title of Diamond League Champion?

The track and field legend reiterates that it wouldn’t be as easy. “But once again, I mean you got dog for dog. That’s gonna be a hard one, and that’s when you get the popcorn.” The only way to get a clear answer would be if they did lock horns on the track. “So maybe this is something we’ll see in the future. Maybe we’ll see both of ’em race against each other in the future. I would like that.” It would be an interesting race, for sure. However, while the 4x Olympic gold medalist turned heads at the 200m invitational, how did she do in the 400m? 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s time at the Brussels Diamond League

Many fans hoped to see the Olympian in the Diamond League. But right after her stunning win in the City of Love, she took a much-needed vacation with her husband, Andre Levrone Jr., in Greece. However, it soon came out that the 25-year-old would contest in the Brussels Diamond League finals due to a wildcard entry. Exciting right? Only for a fleeting moment. It turns out she didn’t fit the criteria.

According to the wild card rules, an athlete must compete in at least one meet during the season. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is known to compete in certain meets, which is why she didn’t meet the criteria. However, this led to a huge uproar, and the series CEO, Petr Stastny, decided to clear the air. “It is not about allowing a specific athlete to compete or not. It is about rules and criteria which must be fulfilled by all to [become] eligible to compete at the [Diamond League] Final.” But they wanted to honor her achievements in Paris, and that’s how the invitational races came about.

On September 13, the Olympian stepped onto the damp tracks for a thrilling 400m dash. Yes, she doesn’t usually contest in the flat circuits, but this wasn’t her first rodeo. Quick off the blocks, she increased the gap between herself and her competitors with every stride. With 49.11 seconds on the clock, the hurdler had claimed her first victory. But it wasn’t as easy for her. “Running the 400m at the end of the season definitely hurts a little bit more, and I felt the cramping,” the 25-year-old stated in the post-race interview. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone believed she could have gone faster. She wanted to improve her PB in the 400m. “But I think the weather definitely wasn’t on my side today.” The Olympian doesn’t usually contest in events outside the States, but she gave the crowds a quick shoutout. “I’m just happy to be here and get the experience racing in Europe. It’s an amazing crowd.” The hurdler continues to shatter the glass ceiling. But do you think she could have seized a win in the 200m finals? Or do you agree with Justin Gatlin?