Breaking the 50-Second Barrier: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Impressive 400-Meter Hurdles Victory at the World Record Stage

In 2021, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles by running it in 50.65 seconds. This feat marked the fifth time she has set a new record, with four of those records achieved at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.

Inspired by Dalilah Muhammad’s success in breaking the world record for the 400-meter hurdles in 2019, McLaughlin-Levrone made key changes to her training regimen under Coach Bobby Kersee. One of these changes was moving to 14 strides between the early hurdles, which proved to be a game-changer for her performance.

McLaughlin-Levrone expressed gratitude for the growth she has experienced both as an athlete and a person under Kersee’s guidance. Instead of a highly anticipated showdown with Femke Bol of the Netherlands, there is now speculation about when the 50-second mark will be broken in the 400-meter hurdles race. Hurdling legend Edwin Moses believes that it could happen soon, with the possibility of the mark being broken as soon as the Olympic final on August 8th. With McLaughlin-Levrone’s incredible achievements, the future of the event looks promising.