Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the national title in the 400 meters and dropped one of the biggest news stories in track and field for this season. Two days before, Sydney lined up on the 400m track in Eugene. Fans hoped that she might break the American record today, and she almost did. When she crossed the finish line, she was the new national champion in the 400m with a time of 48.90. But then, the athlete broke the news that she won’t be competing in the four-hundred-meter hurdles at the Tokyo World Championships. But that doesn’t mean she won’t be there at all…

“We’ll focus just on the 400” in Tokyo, she revealed in an interview after winning the National title. “It’s a very daunting task in and of itself. It’s a very competitive field. I respect those competitors for sure, and I want to make sure I can give my all to those races.”

To sum it up, the 400m US Champion had given up her domination in the 400mH for now, to bring herself some competition by racing in the 400m. So, can she win the gold in Tokyo? Fans don’t think so.

To start with, Sydney herself had said, “This is a challenge — I want to challenge myself, I felt like this year, I wanted to step out of the box and really push myself in a different way.” Sure, she had a good season this year, and as a matter of fact, she had always been good in the 400m! But is she the best in the world? Fans’ prediction: “Naser 48.0, Paulino 48.1 Pryce/Sidney 48.5”

When McLaughlin enters the 400m in Tokyo, she will be racing against the likes of Marileidy Paulino, Salwa Eid Naser, and many other tried and tested in the discipline.

At Budapest 2023, Paulino won the women’s 400 m in 48.76 seconds, setting a national record and becoming the first Dominican woman to claim World Championship gold. Salwa Eid Naser took the 2019 title in Doha with 48.14, the third-fastest time ever. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s personal best is 48.74, which came at outdoor nationals. It speaks volumes in itself. So, fans are not convinced that Sydney will win.

Fans choose Paulino and Naser over Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Fans seemed skeptical about Sydney beating Nasir and Paulino for the 400 m title at the 2025 World Championships. In a Reddit post discussing the winner among the three, one commented, “Paulino. She shows up at the big occasion. 48.17 at Paris was insane. I think she could run that again or something similar in the low 48s.” Marileidy Paulino stormed to Olympic gold in the women’s 400 m at Paris 2024, recording a time of 48.17 seconds to break a 28-year-old Olympic record. She became the first woman from the Dominican Republic to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics.

Another reaction read, “I would say Paulino based off her Olympic performance, but we haven’t seen McLaughlin in a championship scenario outside of the US championships where she didn’t have the highest end competition. Last time they faced each other Paulino got the best of Sydney, but Sydney also went out way to hard.” It was the 400mH gold medalist’s international debut in the 400m when Paulino and she first raced in the 400m flat. It was at the Diamond League meeting in Paris, where the 400m world champion edged McLaughlin‑Levrone with a time of 49.71 s, earning victory in Sydney’s 400 m debut as a professional.

Then, another fan predicted, “Paulino is the favorite. Paulino’s strength in the last 100m is lethal. I am hoping Sydney gets a big PR and breaks the American Record.” At the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia in June 2025, the world champion ran a season-best 49.12 s. If you watched that race, you would be familiar with her final 100m superhuman burst. So, fans seem to be thinking a bit practically here.

“Paulino and Naser are heavy favorites over Sydney, but Sydney can Sydney,” another Reddit comment read. Apparently, no comment disgraced Sydney. But fans had their logic and explanation to pick Paulino and Naser over McLaughlin-Levrone.

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