What is going on in track and field right now? Records are falling, and teenage stars are leading the charge. Just a week ago, someone snapped Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s NCAA record, and now, another stunner.
This time, it wasn’t a college powerhouse or Olympic hopeful. Nope. A high schooler just broke one of Sydney’s oldest records, and the way it happened? You couldn’t script it better. If anyone saw this coming, maybe it was Sydney herself, who once said, “Records come and go….” Well, one of her records just went.
At the New Balance Nationals on 21st June, under the stadium lights and pressure-packed energy, all eyes were on the 400-meter dash. But nobody expected what came next. Natalie Dumas, a junior from Eastern Regional High in New Jersey, sprinted her way into the history books.
When it looked like Sydney Sutton from Bullis School (MD) was closing in fast, Dumas dove at the finish line, literally stopping the clock at 51.14 seconds. That moment didn’t just earn her the win; it shattered the New Jersey state record once held by four-time Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (51.87). And for the cherry on top?
It also broke the New Balance meet record of 52.41 set by Adaejah Hodge. The moment Dumas hit the ground, she had no idea what had just happened. Lying on the track, she stared toward the scoreboard in disbelief,“ I honestly thought I was in second place,” she said. “This is the biggest race that I’ve ever ran before. I was in disbelief when I looked over at the scoreboard and I saw the time. Just unbelievable. I never expected to get two titles at nationals.”And yes, this was her second.
Just the day before, Dumas had won the 400m hurdles in 55.99, the sixth-fastest time in U.S. high school history. That brought her tally to four national titles overall. But this 400-meter dash was personal. In May, Dumas tied Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s record at 51.87. Now, she owns it. Her performance ranks No. 9 all-time in U.S. high school history and is the fastest Under-20 time in the world this year. Sutton’s 51.23 was also elite, 10th all-time, but just short. And Dumas knows exactly how she did it: “I started out the race the way I wanted to, and that was my main goal. Because if you don’t get out, those small mistakes will mess you up. It was a perfect first 200 (meters), and it set up what I needed to do in the last 200 (meters) to win the race,” she said.
Talking about the record, she said, “Just shocking. The fact that I was so close to 50 seconds, I’m still so surprised about that. I feel like I can hit 50 if I have fresh legs.”
And while Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is still the undisputed queen of the 400m hurdles, it’s clear she’s also become something else, a benchmark, a legend that rising stars like Natalie Dumas are starting to catch up to. One by one, Sydney’s old records are falling. And just like she said, they do come and go, but the inspiration they spark? That stays forever. But who broke the previous record of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone?
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s legacy faces new heat
Track and field barely had time to catch its breath. On June 14, 2025, Savannah Sutherland set Hayward Field on fire at the NCAA Championships, blazing to a 52.46 in the 400m hurdles. That time didn’t just win her the title, it erased Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s seven-year-old collegiate record of 52.75. “Even after a couple of days to reflect, I think it still feels pretty surreal,” Sutherland said. Already a Paris Olympic finalist and now the fastest Canadian in history, her run placed her ninth on the all-time world list and made her one of just 10 women ever to break 52.50. As track analyst Anderson Emerole said, “She is in great form… a real threat for a podium finish at Worlds.”
What made Sutherland’s run even more impressive was how she commanded the race from the very start. Flying past the semifinals, as she had over two seconds in her heat, she stepped up to the start line of the final in quiet confidence. Owing to this, the gap opened by the time she cleared the second hurdle. She did not panic, she did not look behind. Every obstacle was one step to the past. In the home stretch, she remembered how much there was cheering. “I didn’t know if that meant I was running fast, or if someone was coming up behind… I just let it carry me through the finish as much as I could.” That final not only made her an NCAA champion, but also the most competitive and ruthless player in the world!
What connects them both, Savannah and Natalie, isn’t just the times they posted. It’s that both women are chasing the impossible standard set by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone… and getting closer. Sydney once said, “Records come and go. The glory of God is eternal.” And maybe she knew this day would come, where two young stars, in the span of seven days, would take down two of her biggest marks. She still stands as the GOAT with her world record of 50.37, but one thing’s for sure: the next generation is not just watching Sydney. They’re running right into her lane.
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