Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the reigning queen of the 400m hurdles, is switching things up—and not in a small way. At the upcoming Grand Slam Track stop in Philadelphia, the two-time Olympic champion won’t line up in her signature 400m hurdles event. Instead, she’s entered in the short hurdles group, making her professional debut in the 100m hurdles.
It’s a surprising move for one of the most dominant long hurdlers in history, but Sydney’s not backing away from the challenge. After the Miami leg of Grand Slam Track, she explained her motivation: “Switch it up, yeah, test myself, work on some hurdle technique, work on some sprint speed.” Also, she mentioned, “As of right now, I think we might go to the short hurdles.” Ultimately, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone added that competing in the shorter hurdles could sharpen her sprint mechanics and refine her technique overall.
But for Sydney, the 100m hurdles isn’t just a physical test—it holds deep emotional weight. In her 2024 memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about a pivotal moment in April 2022. She was set to run the 100m hurdles at the Penn Relays, just days before marrying former NFL player Andre Levrone Jr. It was supposed to be a lighthearted race, one she considered less demanding. But her mind was somewhere else.
“I kept telling myself, Get through this race, and you can get married,” she wrote. Her wedding at the picturesque Early Mountain Vineyards in Virginia was fast approaching, and the race was just a checkpoint before the “big day.” Sydney went on to win in a time of 12.75 seconds—but the stress didn’t stop there.
“As we left Philadelphia, heading back to LA for a few days before going to Virginia for the big day, I checked the weather app on my phone. My heart dropped. It was supposed to rain—downpour—the day of our wedding,” she recalled. Her dream of a sunny outdoor ceremony was slipping away. Though Andre tried to comfort her, Sydney couldn’t stop obsessively checking forecasts, hoping for a miracle. Eventually, they had to move the event indoors. But the experience taught her something greater than weather patterns or race times ever could. “Marriage was more than just the day,” she reflected. “I was marrying a person for life, rain or shine.” Now, after three years, things are lined up as they were three years ago.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s things are standing up on the same line
Now, in a poetic twist, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone returns to Philadelphia to compete in the 100m hurdles once again—this time on the professional circuit at Grand Slam Track. It’s her first 100m hurdles race as a pro, and the choice to step away from her signature 400m hurdles isn’t random. It’s intentional. She wants to challenge herself. She wants to grow. But whether she sets a personal best, this race carries a different kind of significance. It marks the return to a track that once held the weight of a life-changing week—a place tied not just to competition, but to commitment.
And the timing? Perfect. Just days ago, on May 6, Sydney posted on Instagram: “Oh how fast 3 years of marriage have already flown by… cherishing all of the moments with you. Happy Anniversary my love! ” Now, as she takes her mark once again in Philadelphia, she’s not just revisiting a race—she’s revisiting a memory. A symbol. A promise. She’s running not just for a finish line, but for everything she’s become since crossing it the first time.
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