Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone began her season in Kingston (April), winning the Grand Slam Track double with a 50.32 s in the 400 m flat after crushing a 52.76s in the hurdles. In Miami (May), she elevated her flat speed dramatically, clocking 49.69 s, her season-best, to sweep both events again. With only two flat races so far, both wins in major GST meets, there have been speculations that she would be aiming for a double at the World Championships. And Sydney has decided to address the rumors herself…

“You know, I think tomorrow will tell us a lot just about where we are and what we decide to do. But yeah. I think all options are open.” Sydney mentioned at the press conference ahead of the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene. “That’s what’s exciting about it, and like, you know, I’ve said before, when I step on the track, it’s focusing on that race in that moment. So we’ll focus on the 400 and make decisions.” What she means is that she will be running the 400 meters (flat) at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene to test herself and see if she’s in good enough form to compete in both the 400m hurdles and the 400m flat at the upcoming World Championships.

No woman has ever won both the 400m and 400m hurdles at one championship, making Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s potential double historic. But she has maintained a neutral stance on this, like she did back in Miami. After winning the $100,000 in Miami Grand Slam Track, McLaughlin said, “I think we’re going to keep training for either the 400 or the 400 hurdles and make a decision as we get closer. For now, I’m just enjoying the Slams and trying to be the best overall athlete I can be.”

She then went on to experiment in Philadelphia at the Grand Slam Track meet, clocking 12.70 s to finish 5th in the 100 m hurdles on May 31 and following it up with a striking 11.21s, earning 2nd place in 100 m flat on June 1. Given her unbeaten streak, there is a chance that if she goes to the World Championships in both disciplines, she can win it and create history.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is before the last World Championships

After stepping back into the 400 m competition following several years of focusing on hurdles, Sydney made a powerful return at the Paris Diamond League on June 9, 2023, running 49.71s in her season debut. The race, however, saw her narrowly overtaken by Marileidy Paulino, who surged late to win in a meet-record 49.12 s. That was her last defeat in the 400 meters. At the USATF NYC Grand Prix, she clocked 49.51 seconds for the win, and that is where the streak began.

In July at the 2023 U.S. Championships in Eugene, she exploded onto the track, demolishing the competition with a meet-record 48.74s—the second-fastest time ever by an American and the world-leading mark for the year. That dominant victory not only secured her national title but also punched her ticket to the World Championships in Budapest in the flat 400 m, alongside her hurdles qualification. She ultimately withdrew from the Championships due to a knee issue.

The momentum carried into 2024, where on June 9 in New York at the Grand Prix, Sydney ran 48.75 s. – 4th fastest that year. After the Olympic Trials, she carried forward her flat speed into the Brussels Diamond League finale, clocking 49.11s in an invitational 400 m. And then there is Grand Slam Track, where not only has she been undefeated in the 400m  and 400 m H, but she has also won money for it. That being said, do you think Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will opt for both disciplines in September? Do let us know in the comments box below.