You know that feeling when an athlete’s been too quiet… and you just know something big is coming? Yeah, that’s the vibe around Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone right now. She’s been in the lab, sharpening, tweaking, dialing in the details. And this weekend? She’s stepping into something new. Well, Sydney returns for her third appearance of the 2025 season at the Grand Slam Track: Philadelphia, set for Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1.. But wait, not the usual 400m hurdles where she eats every lap. Nah. This time, she’s switching it up.

For the first time in her pro career, Syd is lining up for the 100m flat. No hurdles. Just blocks, power, and a straight-up dash of pure speed. It’s happening as part of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track series, and the track world is watching with eyes wide open. On Saturday, she’ll warm things up with the 100m hurdles, but Sunday is the real headline—her first elite 100m flat race since college. Back in 2018, while at the University of Kentucky, she clocked an eye-popping 11.07 seconds. Now, she’s stepping back into sprint territory, stronger, smarter, and more explosive than ever.

So far, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2025 season has been nothing short of dominant. At the Kingston Slam in April, she opened with a 52.76 in the 400m hurdles and a 50.32 in the 400m flat, snagging a perfect 24 points and a $100,000 prize. Then, at the Miami Slam in May, she turned it up another notch. She shattered the meet record in the 400m hurdles with a 52.07 and dipped under 50 seconds in the 400m flat, clocking 49.69. Another 24-point sweep. Another $100K. It’s been total control, and now, she’s throwing something new into the mix.

“It’s definitely been a shift,” she told The Athletic, reflecting on her recent training. “But it’s been great to work on sprint mechanics, block starts, and hurdle technique. Even in longer races, those details still matter.” At 25, she’s exploring a new side of her talent and loving it. “I’m starting to kind of like this sprinting thing,” she said. “It’s ballistic—shooting out of the blocks, toe-dragging, generating force in a straight line. The 100m gives you no grace. If your start isn’t right, you’re done. That challenge? I’m here for it.” But will it be easy for her?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs. the world’s fastest

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may be the reigning queen of the 400m hurdles, but stepping into the 100m flat this weekend at Grand Slam Track: Philadelphia is a whole new beast. This Sunday, Sydney is trading her hurdling grace for pure sprinting fire as she makes her pro debut in the elite 100m dash, a race that will pit her against some of the fastest pure sprinters on the planet. Among her rivals are Olympic and World Championship medalists like Gabby Thomas, Brittany Brown, and Daryll Neita.

Gabby boasts a 10.97 personal best with a killer top-end speed and strong finish, while Brittany’s explosive start and 10.90 PB make her an early threat. Daryll Neita’s sharp starts and race experience give her the edge to disrupt Sydney’s rhythm. Challengers like Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Tamari Davis bring blazing starts and sub-10.85 speed, while Dina Asher-Smith’s experience and strong finish can turn the race late. Emerging talent Jadyn Mays rounds out the field, hungry to make her mark with quick acceleration and growing confidence.

Unlike Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, these athletes’ entire training and careers revolve around the raw, unforgiving power of the 100m sprint. To beat these pure sprinters, Sydney will have to translate her world-class speed endurance into explosive power and perfect her starts and acceleration, a tall order when you’re used to the rhythm and pacing of longer sprint hurdles. The 100m demands maximum velocity from start to finish, and her rivals have years of experience pushing the limits of this distance.

McLaughlin-Levrone hasn’t lost an individual race since June 2023, and she’s never been beaten on Franklin Field. This weekend in Philadelphia, she faces a true test of pure speed as she steps into unfamiliar territory, going head-to-head with some of the fastest women on earth.