There’s a storm brewing in Philadelphia. And its name is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. As the reigning queen of the 400m hurdles and a global track superstar, her decision to drop down to the 100m hurdles has jolted the athletics world. But not everyone’s convinced it’s the move of a champion. Despite her accolades, one respected track analyst has stirred debate by placing her fourth overall, with a brutally honest prediction: McLaughlin-Levrone may not just lose, she might get left behind in the hurdles sprint. A race that could knock her out of top-tier contention.
In the loaded 100m hurdles lineup, McLaughlin-Levrone is entering unfamiliar territory against the sharpest short hurdlers in the world. Her return to the event in May 2024 saw her post a solid 12.71. A time that sits well within elite standards, but not one that screams dominance. That performance, in fact, ranked 42nd globally last season. Meanwhile, stars like Masai Russell (12.17) and Tia Jones (12.19) have pushed American hurdles to new levels. And it’s not just the headliners; even mid-tier runners have dipped under McLaughlin-Levrone’s personal best of 12.65. Something she hasn’t touched since 2021.
That’s precisely why track expert Anderson Emerole isn’t buying into the hype. “In the 100, I have her getting second place,” Emerole admitted in an episode of his The Final Leg Track And Field podcast giving credit where it’s due. “But in 100 hurdles I have her down in sixth place — and I’m going to be honest, it was even tough to do, putting her in sixth.” The challenge, he emphasized, isn’t McLaughlin-Levrone’s talent, it’s the depth of competition and her relative inexperience at this elite level. “Someone like Megan Tapper’s run 12.5, Christina Clemens 12.6, Til Marshall 12.5, Daji Kabunji 12.7… all these women have run faster than Sydney this year — and that’s just looking at season’s bests,” said Emerole.
The reality, according to his breakdown, is stark. To finish among the top hurdlers, McLaughlin-Levrone wouldn’t just need to hit a personal best. She’d need to blow past it. “Christina Clemens has already run 12.61 seconds. Sydney would not only have to run a personal best, which I actually think she’ll do, but some of the other women would have to drastically decrease their performances… not even talking personal bests — just season’s bests,” Emerole explained. Well, that’s a tall order, especially in a discipline where rhythm, timing, and repetition are key. And McLaughlin-Levrone simply hasn’t raced the 100m hurdles enough in recent seasons to build that edge.
Still, the track world isn’t discounting her entirely. Her sheer presence on the start line could rattle the nerves of more seasoned hurdlers. “I do think Sydney’s presence will definitely affect the field,” Emerole echoed. “People say, ‘I stick to my lanes, my ten hurdles,’ but I do think people respond sometimes to athletes that are in their race,” he further chimed in. That psychological ripple might be McLaughlin-Levrone’s greatest weapon. Not her time on the clock, but the pressure she brings just by being there.
Ultimately, the Philadelphia showdown could become one of the most intriguing plotlines of the season. McLaughlin-Levrone has the guts, the golds, and the glory. But she’s entering a race that isn’t built for comfort or reputation. And if the predictions hold true, the sprint hurdles might be the one place where the track queen gets dethroned. And this is not the only uncharted territory that McLaughlin-Levrone is getting into. She will also be running the 100m flat for the first time!
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone waiting to make a shocking and stunning shift at Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia after securing back-to-back wins
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the undisputed queen of the 400-meter hurdles, is about to take on a distance she hasn’t touched since college, and never as a professional! In a bold pivot, the two-time Olympic champion will line up for her first-ever professional 100-meter flat race at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia (May 30 to June 1). The last time she ran this event was in 2018 at the collegiate level, clocking 11.07 seconds as a freshman at Kentucky. Now, with the eyes of the track world on Franklin Field, she’s back. But on a whole new stage!
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s 400m Hurdles Final – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of United States celebrates after winning gold and setting a new world record. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
McLaughlin-Levrone’s decision to shift down to the short hurdles group for the Philadelphia stop marks a fascinating twist in the ongoing Grand Slam Track series. Until now, she’s dominated the long hurdles category, sweeping races in Kingston and Miami, where she delivered the world’s fastest 400m hurdles time of 2024 with a 52.07 win. But the GST format demands versatility. In Philadelphia, she’ll go head-to-head in the 100m hurdles. And, for the first time in her pro career, she would compete in the 100m flat.
While she admitted there’s still “some stuff to clean up,” McLaughlin-Levrone said she’s “happy with where my fitness is.” Her consistency through four GST races, including a 49.69 in the 400m in Miami, signals elite form, but the 100m flat is a different beast. Still, as she put it earlier in the season, “It’s a great opportunity for the sport.” And for McLaughlin-Levrone, it’s a chance to redefine what’s possible, one explosive sprint at a time.
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