When it comes to track and field, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a known record-breaker. Since the day she qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 16, the champion established her prominence in the world of track and field. The New Jersey-born track superstar has sprinting in her blood, with her father being an Olympic qualifier and a mother who ran as a student.

This, coupled with her unimpeachable prowess at the sport has ensured that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been wowing us with one achievement after another since the day she started running. Currently the world record holder for 400m hurdles, she is on her way to breaking a record that has been elusive till now. However, Sydney is steadily making her way toward it, as is evident by the race she ran at the U.S. Track and Field Championships.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone drops another mind-bending performance

When the opening day of the 2023 U.S. Track and Field Championships came on the 6th of July, let’s be real, everyone was expecting this two-time Olympic champion to deliver, and so she did. According to a report by Olympics.com, the 23-year-old cruised to a 400m heat win on the opening day. During the day’s third heat, she exhibited a time of 49.79, easily getting the victory.

When all the four heats of the day were over, it was clear Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had the fastest time out of everyone who ran. Overall, McLaughlin-Levrone left behind everyone else, achieving figures faster than Britton Wilson’s 50.08 and Lynna Irby-Jackson’s 50.80. While her main event is the 400m hurdles, in which she holds the world record currently, it seems like she is focusing on 400m flat right now, slowly edging towards the world record in 400m flat.

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This record has been held by Marita Koch since 1985. It is also the longest-standing world record in any men’s or women’s sprint event, and it seems like a challenge particularly appealing to her. But for someone who has broken four records in a span of 13 months. In a sport where records tend to stand untouched for decades, McLaughlin-Levrone is re-setting the bar consistently and continuously. Will she be able to lower Koch’s time?

The race against time

There is no doubt that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone thrives under pressure and leaves nothing behind in her runs. After breaking the 400m hurdles world record on four occasions, and becoming the first woman to achieve a time under 51 seconds, nothing seems impossible for her. After all, McLaughlin-Levrone managed to stay undefeated in the seven 400m hurdles during her 2021 Olympic season, breaking the world record twice.

She has already dominated the 400m hurdles like none other before her. Despite becoming the first woman to get a time under 51 seconds, McLaughlin-Levrone is not done. She wants to take down Koch’s record, which, as she told Olympics.com, “I mean, that’s one (the 400m world record) that has stood for a very long time.” Her pursuit of this record also excites her coach, who said, “Sydney is considered the first real threat to Marita Koch 38-year-old world 400 record.” Looks like she wants it enough to grab on with both hands.

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