This one was never in doubt! Honestly, the second we saw Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on Team USA’s 4x400m relay squad, everyone knew how this was going to end. Fresh off her 400m world title, McLaughlin-Levrone was about to anchor the team, and you just knew she was going to bring it home. From the get-go, the U.S. looked unbeatable. Isabella Whittaker opened strong with 50.12, setting the tone and giving her teammates a boost. Lynna Irby-Jackson ran a 48.71, widening the gap and putting the rest of the field on notice. By the time Aaliyah Butler grabbed the baton with 49.96, the Americans already had a lead that looked impossible to chase. The baton was moving slickly, from one runner to the next, everyone pushing just enough.

And then Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone grabbed the final baton. You could feel the energy shift in the stadium.  Her 47.82 anchor leg wasn’t just fast, it was thrilling. When Team USA crossed the line in 3:16.61, they not only won but shattered the championship record. It beat by 0.10sec, the previous best set by the United States in Stuttgart in 1993.

For a team still haunted by a disqualification in Budapest two years ago, it was redemption, even on a rain-slick track. “When you have great teammates as I have, it’s amazing,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “My last lap felt like a victory lap for us. I just wanted to finish strong because you never know who is behind, chasing you. It was just an incredible race.”

Jamaica had silver in an uphill struggle of 3:19.25. Dejanea Oakley, Stacey Ann Williams, and Andrenette Knight gained a ten-meter lead on the Netherlands, and anchor Nickisha Pryce clocked a 48.50 to win it. And the Netherlands took bronze with Eveline Saalberg, Lieke Klaver, Lisanne De Witte, and Femke Bol.  And seeing all this, fans lost their minds!

Fans go wild as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone anchors the USA to glory

One fan commented, “The USA women always get the job done!” While another noted, “The number of championship records broken in these games is insane.” And indeed, it was a monumental night in the rain for Team USA. Incidentally, the 4x100m relay was another showstopper, and even the 4x400m was a pressure cooker race, particularly when long-time competitors Jamaica were in the fray, in unfriendly weather. It was indeed a record-breaking meet for the U.S. contingent, as McLaughlin-Levrone broke it in the 400m flat, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in the 100m, and the mixed relay team in the 4x400m, among a host of others.

One more fan added, “Looks like Team USA finally got tired of Femke Bol eating their lunch in the 4x400m relays 😅. Today they basically said: “Sweetheart, you’ve been phenomenal, no doubt… but don’t forget, we can flip the switch anytime we want. That’s why we brought out our top notch Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to drop a record and remind everyone whose house this really is.” 😂🔥🔥 #Tokyo2025 @WorldAthletics.”

Who could forget the Netherlands’ world-leading 4x400m relay performance in 2023, with Bol anchoring her team to victory as she surged from third place to first in the final seconds? Or the 4×400 mixed relay at last year’s Olympics, where Bol once again, as the anchor, took her team from fourth to first in the last few meters, overtaking Team USA’s Kaylyn Brown for gold. And if there exists one competition that in recent years has characterized the sport, it would be McLaughlin-Levrone versus Bol, two outstanding athletes who are making one another go all the way.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone timed the world record of 50.37 seconds to win the 400mH at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Bol took the bronze (52.15). This provided the precursor to Tokyo 2025, where Bol defended her title with a world-leading 51.54, and McLaughlin-Levrone switched her attention to the flat 400m, recording the fastest time in 40 years of 47.78. However, it was not at all about times on paper with the relay. It was regarding pride and the undeniable energy that McLaughlin-Levrone adds to the song.

Fans couldn’t contain themselves. “I knew USA was taking Gold in this one lol but yayyy to the Jamaican ladies on Silver!!!” one wrote. Another added, “She got them 47 legs now!” For Team USA, it wasn’t just a victory; it was a statement and a night the fans will be talking about for years.