50.37 seconds—that’s all it took for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to etch her name deeper into the annals of Olympic history. While shoving off 0.28 seconds from her previous personal best, she not only became the first woman to defend her Olympic title in 400mH but also shattered her own world record for the sixth time. Such mastery of the sport is an outcome of years of work to set up that perfect strategy that works best for her under the guidance of her coach Bobby Kersee. But have you ever wondered how rarely you witness that brilliance?

Yes, Sydney has nearly made it a norm to just vanish from the tracks after striking at a big event. Just days ago, the news came out that she will not take part in the Lussane Diamond League set to happen on August 22. Instead, she was found soaking up in Greece with her husband Andre Levrone! And fans can not be mad enough over it. However, with such a scanty appearance, all she means is business when present.

From 1984 to 2019, the world record in the 400m hurdles has been lowered by 1.42 seconds. But Starting from the 2021 US Olympic trials till Paris, Sydney has lowered it by 1.53 seconds! So what is it that was going on in her mind as she was gliding over each hurdle in Paris? What was driving her to push beyond the limits? The champion herself answered that.

McLaughlin-Levrone lays her mind open

Speaking to the Olympics.com, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone agreed that the feeling of having attained this feat was surreal. But as her mind went back to the 400m hurdles Paris track, she confessed, “You never really know what’s going on.” According to her, mid-race, she did not seem to be even aware that she was running at a record-shattering speed. “It’s really just running all the way through the line. I did get a quick glance at the clock, so I was like, ‘Just get over this last hurdle and sprint through the line,” Sydney said in the conversation.

But the situation was not new to her. She said, “It’s just like we’ve practised a million times.” At the same time, her signature style is to enter each race with a fresh mind and never-before attitude. She confessed, “I treat every meet like its own. So, this was my first time in Paris, racing for this Olympic gold. I was just treating it like this was my first time here, and, trying to go for it the same way.” This very approach has made her incorporate incredible variation in her races over all these years. Let’s take a look.

Back in 2019, Sydney’s stride pattern was mostly identical to that of the elite hurdlers. 15 strides through hurdle seven followed by 16 strides the rest of the way. There was a distinct change in this pattern by 2021. It came out to be 14 strides for the first five hurdles and 15 strides through the last five. By that time, she had already started her record-breaking spree. The 2022 World Championships saw further change.

Sydney was taking 14 strides through seven hurdles before dropping down to -5 for the last three. And the results were visible. The event saw her hitting the sub-50 time for the first time (50.68), shoving off .73 seconds from the time she pulled off at the 2022 US nationals. Again, look at the 2024 Olympic trials. She beat the second-place finisher by six strides and nearly 2 seconds. But is it only the stride pattern that gives her such dominance? Probably not.

In the highly technical race of 400mH, the beginning of the race is the fastest part. And Sydney is indeed fast. We do not dig much for evidence. At the 2024 New York City Grand Prix in June, she finished 400m in 48.75, the third-fastest time in U.S. history. For comparison, the fastest time at the Olympic trials this year was Kendall Ellis’ 49.46.

“The flat speed that she has in the 100 to the 400 is not typical of a 400 hurdler. She has foot speed to run with the top sprinters in the world,” said Lashinda Demus, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles about Sydney’s speed. It takes 22 steps and less than 6 seconds to get to the first hurdle, 45 meters into the race. It is her right foot that leads her to clear that. The second obstacle comes on her way four seconds after Sydney lands after the first hurdle. This time she shows one more factor that gives her an edge over her peers.

Despite starting with her right leg, her left leg leads when she clears the second hurdle. This alteration of the legs is something that very few can pull off. This also saves her from stutter step, a nightmare for the hurdlers. Being equally proficient in both legs gives her the peace of mind that while approaching a hurdle she does not have to worry about which leg is coming first which significantly increases her speed. But there is an aspect of the 400nH that Sydney absolutely loves.

“The open 400 is just a full-on sprint. But at least with the hurdles, I can think about something and have to work [on it]. There’s certain things that kind of just distract you from the fact that you’re running a 400. And I think that’s why I love the hurdles,” Sydney explained. To put it simply, it is not just the technicalities, 400mH demands you to put your brain to use while in the race.

“In the 400 hurdles, something is going to happen,” says Rachel Glenn, who finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. trials. “I think it’s just how you react to a mistake and how you correct it as you go along, she added.”And Sydney does that better than anyone else with her mind, which is super-coordinated with her body. Proof? Sydney juggles multiple balls while talking casually to others. This coordination is almost the same as what one needs to cross 10 obstacles over 400m while overcoming that “something” pointed out by Glenn.

However, despite the dominance that has seen Sydney lose any 400mH race since the 2019 world championships, she has recently come under the radar of the track and community fans.

Where is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone? Ask disappointed fans

After her stunning performance in Paris, the track world was hungry for more of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s brilliance on the track. But instead of seeing her name on the upcoming schedules, fans were met with disappointment. While her arch-rivals like Rushell Clayton and Femke Bol are confirmed to race, McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence is glaring, sparking a wave of fan backlash.

The reaction has been intense, with some fans lamenting, “Sydney has gone back into hiding,” while others resigned themselves to the idea that the stage is “once again clear for Femke to dominate.” There’s been growing frustration since from 2021, the year McLaughlin-Levrone claimed her Olympic crown in the 400m hurdles, she hasn’t competed in this event at any Diamond League meets.

This year, she showed up at the Edwin Moses Meet on May 31, clocking a 52.70s in the 400m hurdles, and later at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. But fans haven’t forgotten that she withdrew from both the 400m at the Oxy Invitational and the LA Grand Prix, citing a lingering knee injury that has kept her sidelined for significant periods.

The inconsistency in her participation, especially in the World Championships and Diamond League, has left fans feeling cheated. Some have even speculated, “She is not allowed to compete overseas unless it’s world championships or the Olympics because Bobby Kersee hates the sport.” Now that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has opened up about the mindset that brought her gold, the question remains—what do you think of her decisions and the path she’s taking? Share your thoughts below.