Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone came within 0.18 seconds of breaking Marita Koch’s legendary 400m world record at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, clocking 47.78 for gold and a championship record. And that’s the second-fastest time ever. Of course, expectations were sky high after she had already lowered the American record to 48.29 seconds in the semifinals. Right behind her, Marileidy Paulino stormed to silver in 47.98. But while McLaughlin-Levrone’s near-record run stole the spotlight, Paulino’s post-race comments were a tongue-in-cheek jibe at McLaughlin-Levrone.

Following the flat 400m final, a reporter asked Paulino about her mental and physical preparations leading up to the 2025 World Championships. As expected, the Dominican star was filled with confidence and pride. She said, “My mind has always been strong, regardless of who’s there. I am very proud of myself.” And that’s when she took a jab at Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Talking about her stance in the race, Paulino claimed, “I feel like I won because I’ve been preparing myself, running five consecutive years, running six, seven, eight races a year, and that’s called winning. Not just showing up two or three times a year.”

McLaughlin-Levrone is highly selective in her racing schedules. Usually, she competes just a few times prior to events like the Olympics or the World Championships. This season, she has competed in only four 400m flat events, including the Tokyo World Championships, the Prefontaine Classic, the USATF Championships, and the Grand Slam Track. Meanwhile, Marileidy Paulino ran seven 400m races before the 2025 World Championships. 

The Dominican athlete continued to reflect on the races in the recent past. Paulino continued, “The 2025 season taught me that I should always continue fighting without caring who is in front. I will always see myself as a winner, even if I place second or third.” After all, she lowered her national record and became the third-fastest woman ever over 400m. 

But what does Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have to say about the win? Did she win just by factoring in luck, or is there a deeper story behind her win? 

What helped Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone take the gold from Marileidy Paulino?

Winning the 400m race at the 2025 World Championships was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster for McLaughlin-Levrone. Talking to the media after the race, she said, “I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400m hurdles to the flat 400m, but ultimately, I had faith in my training. I knew I had it in me.” But having Marileidy Paulino in the outer lane sealed the deal. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed, “It definitely helped having Mariledy Paulino in the outer lane where I could see her. But I still had to get the work done. My coach told me to get out of the blocks as fast as possible, not to stay in it for long.” But there was one more factor that people often forget–Faith!

The 26-year-old athlete had immense faith in her training and the process. And that helped her break the 42-year-old record. She claimed, “I think barriers are broken when the time is right. I think records come when they’re supposed to. It’s really just about executing and trusting the process.” But what do you think? Do you think staying more consistent throughout a season guarantees a spot on the podium?