Of course, the Jamaicans are fast and furious, having dominated the sprinting events for the past decade. But when it comes to hurdles, USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reigns supreme. The talented New Jersey native stepped into the blocks in Tokyo three years ago and ran the race of her life. Although she faced some setbacks due to injuries, she is back with a bang. Now, her eyes are set on the 400m hurdles, her holy grail, as she aims to reclaim her throne.

Sidetracking to the 200m and 400m flat after the gold at the Tokyo Olympics, McLaughlin loves challenges. During the 2023 season, she missed the World Championships in Budapest owing to a ‘minor knee issue.’ She posted her thoughts on social media in 2023 by stating, “After consulting with my doctors and coaches, I need to take care of a minor knee issue so that I can be fully healthy for next years’ Paris Olympics. I look forward to seeing everyone back on the track soon!”

Although she did not require surgery on her knee, she missed the chance to win her second consecutive gold medal after securing gold at the 2022 Eugene World Championships. She announced her withdrawal from the 2023 World Championships just eight days before the event. However, she did not confirm whether the withdrawal was due to a recurring knee injury in her social media post.

The USA Track and Field issued a statement, “We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back on the track soon.”Focused on rehabilitation, McLaughlin-Levrone is concentrating on hurdles once again, calling it her “first love.” She hits the gym twice a week to regain her strength and spends 4 to 5 days on the track to rebuild her confidence, balance, and endurance.

Thus, after three years of toil and hard work, she’s ready to face Femke Bol- the 2023 World Championships gold medalist for 400m hurdles in a race that can duplicate Katie Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus’ 800m freestyle event. So, how has the journey been since the Tokyo Olympics 2021?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prepares to twinkle-toe her way to conquest!

Safe to say, she hasn’t skipped a beat. Sydney is preparing to focus solely on the hurdles, ditching the 200m and 400m to stay locked in for her favorite event. Although she’s versatile enough to compete in multiple events, the complex scheduling makes it impossible to run both. Her coach, Bobby Kersee—husband of American long jump legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee—considers the hurdles her “No. 1 event.” If events were scheduled on separate days, Usain Bolt might have extended his medal count. But with more to look forward to, McLaughlin aims to break her world record for the sixth time in her favorite event.

Notably, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set her first world record at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 51.90 seconds. She improved this to 51.46 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics. In the final event at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials, she shattered the record again with a time of 50.65 seconds, nearly a second faster than her initial world record.

“I was not expecting that,” McLaughlin-Levrone exclaimed to NBC after the race. “I’m just amazed, baffled and in shock.”

Those are massive improvements over the years. For an athlete to lower their record by even one second highlights the narrow margins in track and field. The immense effort Olympic athletes invest in shaving off a single second is a testament to their dedication. When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone returned to compete in the 400m hurdles after two years, she set a time of 52.70 seconds. Incredible, right?

In the meantime, running 48.75 seconds in the 400m flat— the third-fastest women’s time in U.S. history for the event—shows her adaptability. Make no mistake, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can do it all. Besides her success in the 400m hurdles, she also competed in the 4x400m relay and clinched another gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. When you put things into perspective, those 48.75 seconds could be crucial for the USA to challenge the Netherlands, who won the event at the 2023 World Championships. McLaughlin would love to prove people wrong and have the last laugh in the 400m relay competitions after her break.

Out of all the athletes in the world, some are blessed to perform in any situation. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is ready to prove her worth once again. Get ready to watch the American gazelle soar past her hurdles!