During the electric buzz of track season, where every sprint and hurdle feels like a heartbeat, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 25-year-old phenom who shattered the 400m hurdles world record, is stealing headlines again. But this time, it’s not for her speed, it’s for her heartfelt admiration of long-time rival Dalilah Muhammad, the 35-year-old Olympic gold medalist (2016) and two-time world champion (2019, 2022). We know it’s strange, especially given their rivalry. After all, Dalilah handed Sydney one of her few defeats. What’s behind Sydney’s latest praise?

On a recent podcast with Justin Gatlin, McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about Muhammad’s brilliance. “Just seeing her work ethic and that she just felt like she had a fit with Boogie,” Sydney said, nodding to Muhammad’s coach, Lawrence “Boogie” Johnson. “They knew each other well. And I was like, man, I just feel like I need to grow in my understanding of the 400 hurdles. I feel like I don’t really fully understand the race itself, and I think she did, and she did it very, very well.” Even a record-breaker like Sydney feels she’s got more to learn? That’s humbling.

Sydney didn’t hold back, telling her coach, Bobby Kersee, that Muhammad is “probably the most technical 400 hurdler I’ve ever seen—technically sound, amazing hurdler, understood the race.” Muhammad’s 52.16-second world record in 2019 was a masterclass in precision before Sydney’s own dominance took over. As Sydney prepares for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, her words highlight Muhammad’s lasting influence.

Now it’s not just Sydney singing praises. Just a few weeks ago, it was Dalilah talking positively about her rival. “When you have someone that’s such a strong competitor as Sydney, you can’t mess up,” she said at the time. Could this back-and-forth respect hint at Sydney studying her rival’s playbook to stay untouchable?

With Muhammad’s technical legacy and Sydney’s record-breaking stride, their mutual respect is a reminder of the track’s tight-knit spirit. As we gear up for Tokyo, where Sydney aims to defend her title, one question lingers: How will Muhammad’s influence shape the next chapter of Sydney’s hurdle reign? And where did this mutual respect evolve from?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s record-breaking moment and respect for Dalilah Muhammad

Well, June 2021 at Hayward Field in Eugene felt like a movie scene. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, then 21, was back at the stadium where she’d raced in the 2016 Olympic Trials. This time, the 400m hurdles were hers to conquer. She blazed across the finish line in 51.90 seconds, smashing Dalilah Muhammad’s world record of 52.16 seconds. Muhammad, the 2016 Olympic champ, crossed just behind her in a fierce duel. The crowd roared, but the real story unfolded in a quiet moment of grace. What happened next?

“As soon as I crossed the finish line, I put my hands on my head and then crouched, overcome with emotion, my hand over my mouth,” McLaughlin-Levrone wrote in her memoir. “Dalilah walked over to me and put her hand out to congratulate me. I shook it, grateful to her for pushing me to it.” That handshake wasn’t just fair play; it was two women lifting each other up. How does a moment like that shape a champion?

Since that day, McLaughlin-Levrone has owned the 400m hurdles world record, pushing it to new heights. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she clocked a jaw-dropping 50.37 seconds, shaving 0.28 seconds off her previous mark. Her rivalry with Muhammad fuels her fire, but it’s their mutual respect that inspires us all. As the 2025 World Championships loom, what’s next for Sydney’s unstoppable stride?