“I always love to see her [Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone] race,” Femke Bol shared. “I think it’s so cool to see her also doing the 100m hurdles and the 100m – and she’s killing it when she’s doing this.” Whenever it comes to the personal chemistry between Femke and Sydney, the Dutch athlete shows a deep respect for her rival. She doesn’t even feel shy to call Sydney her motivation for reaching greater heights in the track events. But to reach the bigger prize, Femke needs to go past Sydney every time, and on this Friday (July 11), she proved this fact once again and how…

On Friday, Femke Bol entered the Women’s 400m Hurdles event in the Monaco Diamond League. Here, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t register for the event. She was on the other side, in the US, to compete in the women’s 400m event in the Ed Murphey Classic. But how ironic was this! On July 11, 2022, Sydney set a fresh record in the women’s 400m hurdles event at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. And three years later, Femke pushed her away from the world-leading position.

This time, Femke Bol put 51.95 seconds in the women’s 400m hurdles event in the Monaco Diamond League. It is the new world-leading timing in the event. Previously, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 52.07 seconds had reigned over the throne. She set that record in the Miami Grand Slam Track in May 2025. But now, the crown is on Femke’s head. However, the Dutch athlete’s timing is the meet record as well, and the victory is her 28th in a row in the Diamond League. The 25-year-old is still maintaining her grip on the contest despite her American opponent’s undisputed run in the event. However, on Friday, there were a few more reasons for Sydney to take into account. 

In addition to this, in the meet, Dalilah Muhammad set a new master’s World Record, finishing the race in 52.58 seconds. And another American opponent followed her, finishing the event in 52.91 seconds. However, this year, Femke has yet to face a defeat in the women’s 400m hurdles event. Not only that, except for the women’s 400m event in the Ostrava Golden Spike, she has topped in each event she has entered. Isn’t that phenomenal? However, she has hinted at it already. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s star opponent came with all guns blazing 

When Femke Bol posted on Instagram ahead of the Monaco Diamond League, her excitement was palpable: “Excited to be back in the blocks tomorrow at the stadium where I ran my first diamond league 5 years ago 😍 20:04 400 hurdles ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥.” It wasn’t just nostalgia — it was a quiet declaration. While Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prepared to enter another 400m event the following week, Bol was ready to reaffirm her grip on the Diamond League circuit and the women’s 400m hurdles.

And if you’ve been watching closely, you’d know this wasn’t a sudden surge. Back in June, the Dutch star gave a rare glimpse into her mindset: “Now it’s about focusing on the small goals again. Improving, rather than just chasing medals. I hope I can keep doing it for a long time, and keep improving even in small ways, working hard to shave off just a few tenths of a second. I prefer to let my legs do the talking instead of saying too much.” And her legs are doing just that. Femke’s 2025 season is a lesson in controlled progression — 52.46, 52.51, 52.11, and most recently, 51.95 seconds. Steady. Relentless. No fireworks, just cold precision. So, should Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone be concerned?

Maybe not just yet — after all, she did reset the world record to a staggering 50.37 seconds at the Paris Olympics last year. But there’s a storm brewing. Femke isn’t chasing headlines; she’s chasing time. And with every race, she’s inching closer. The rivalry may still favor Sydney statistically, but make no mistake — Femke Bol isn’t just running for second place anymore.