“It wasn’t my best work, but just happy to be here and happy to get another race under my belt,” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said after clocking 49.43 seconds in the 400m at the Prefontaine Classic. It wasn’t a Diamond League event. It wasn’t her signature 400m hurdles either. Still, it was a season-best. Yet, Sydney wasn’t satisfied. Maybe because she holds herself to a different standard—world-class. So, did she walk away with something to feel good about? Maybe just a quiet reminder: the fight back is never instant, but every step counts. This weekend was supposed to be another of those steps.

Sydney was all set to test herself again in the 400m flat at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, lining up against a tough field featuring Britton Wilson, Talitha Diggs, and Lynna Irby-Jackson. But just minutes ago, fans scrolling through Instagram saw a story that changed the narrative.

Sydney broke the news herself: she’s pulling out of tonight’s race. In her story, she revealed that she hasn’t fully recovered from the illness she picked up after traveling back from Eugene. She had hoped to be better by now—well enough to step back on the track—but it just wasn’t meant to be. So, she had to withdraw ultimately. 

 “Out of respect for fans and those who were tuning in, just wanted to update you all! Since traveling back from Prefontaine I have been dealing with sickness. My hope was it would improve enough to run today, unfortunately it did not! Good luck to everyone at the @murpheyclassic. Looking forward to USA’s! Much love to you all! God Bless.”,” the four-time Olympic champion wrote in the story.

So, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is expected to enter the USA Trials to secure her spot for the Tokyo World Athletics Championships. But the big question remains: which event will she choose—the 400m flat or her signature 400m hurdles? Right now, she holds the second-fastest time ever recorded by an American woman in the 400m flat, trailing Sanya Richards-Ross’s national record by a mere 0.05 seconds. With the record so close within reach, could the 400m flat be the event she ultimately sets her sights on?

Back in 2022, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was crowned world champion in the women’s 400m hurdles. But the following year, injury kept her from defending that title, giving her rival Femke Bol the chance to claim the top spot. Then came the Paris Olympics, where Sydney made a stunning return, reclaiming her dominance by setting a new world record of 50.37 seconds, her sixth world record overall. Bol had to settle for third that day. Earlier this season, at the Miami Grand Slam Track, Sydney once again showed her class, posting a world-leading time of 52.07 seconds in the 400m hurdles. So, will all these accolades tempt her to take on the hurdles once more at the USA Trials? It’s hard to say. No one knows for sure what event she’ll choose—but what’s certain is that Sydney holds the cards.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has a long route to cover

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has made her presence felt this season. From the Grand Slam Track to headline meets, she’s laid down markers that few can ignore. But just because Sydney is shining doesn’t mean the rest of the world is standing still. On Friday night in Monaco, the spotlight shifted across the Atlantic.

While Sydney remained stateside, gearing up for the 400m flat at the Ed Murphey Classic, her fiercest rival, Femke Bol, stepped into the blocks at the Monaco Diamond League—and delivered a thunderbolt.

Bol blazed through the women’s 400m hurdles in a staggering 51.95 seconds, reclaiming the world lead and sending a clear message to anyone watching: she’s not backing down. And she wasn’t the only one making headlines. Dalilah Muhammad—the veteran, the former world champion, the legend—turned back the clock. Clocking 52.58 seconds, she not only placed second but also smashed the Masters world record in the process.

So, as the road to the World Championships tightens, the women’s 400m hurdles scene is heating up fast. With Sydney, Femke, and Dalilah all firing on different fronts, one thing is certain: the best is yet to come.