The 400 m hurdles have a queen on the tracks, and that is, hands down, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. From gold in the Summer 2020 and 2024 Olympics to being the first track athlete to break four world records in the same event, she is unstoppable and loves to challenge herself. We don’t need to look further than how she was in the long hurdles group in the last two editions of the Grand Slam Track in Kingston and Miami. But the thirst for more challenges never ends for a star like her. Now she is moving to the next phase of the Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia.

For the first time in her professional career, the 25-year-old is set to make her debut in the 100m flat sprint in Philadelphia that will take place on May 31 and June 1. Well, why is this a challenge for the Olympian? That’s because the last time she participated in a 100 m sprint was back in her collegiate days.

The University of Kentucky alum shared her mindset before the new ‘hurdle’ (pun intended) and spoke to Eric and Wallace on USA Track and Field’s YouTube Channel. Levrone revealed her mentality going into the new edition and said, “I think for me… I love challenging myself, and I love being able to show range, you know? I can do 100 hurdles, I can do the 2, the 4 hurdles. I just love being in the long jump. I don’t know about that 100, but. And never that 8, but it’s okay. But I just like showing like, you know, the full-rounded athlete?”

She added, “So… I would just kind of like to put the pieces together of what we’ve been doing in practice. And see what happens, you know?” Wallace chimed in with an expectant tone, saying, “21-8?”

The record-breaking star replied that she hated putting numbers out. “Honestly? I hate putting numbers out there. I would be happy 21 with anything. Like, even if it’s 21.99, I don’t even care what place I get. I just wanna say that I went under 22, which it may happen, it may not, but that’s what I am working for,” she said.

If anything, the short track is much more competitive. But the 400-meter hurdles world record-winner with 50.37 seconds (established in the Paris Olympics) is definitely the most accomplished track athlete in the world. But can McLaughlin-Levrone litigate the world’s best hurdlers in the 100-meter race and achieve her third prize of $100,000?

What is at stake for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone?

McLaughlin-Levrone won the long hurdles group and claimed the $100,000 bonus for the same at the two opening Grand Slam Track events already. 

But now there is a catch—she will compete in the 100m race that contains 100 m hurdles and another 100 m flat. The Olympian achieved a time stamp of 11.07s at the Tennessee Relays when she ran the 100m in 2018, when she was a student at the University of Kentucky. However, this performance was wind-assisted with a tailwind of +3.5 meters per second, exceeding the allowable limit of +2.0 m/s for record purposes.

If she wins this new challenge, she could potentially earn $100,000. The 25-year-old can also win a bonus of $100,000 if she wins all four Grand Slam events. But if she loses out on this one, then the bonus will be gone from her reach. Moreover, she did manage to bag 4th place in the 100m hurdles at the USATF Grand Prix in 2021. But there have been wins in her career at 100m as well! She was first at the Penn Relays Carnival in 2022, recording 12.75 seconds. So can she achieve victory in this new challenge? Let us know in the comments below!