She makes the extraordinary look like routine. After the Jamaica leg of the $30 million Grand Slam Track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone did her Sydney thing at Miami. But don’t be fooled by the poise. This wasn’t just about another sweep. Yes, she owned Miami. In back-to-back days, she scorched through the 400m hurdles with a world-leading 52.07 and followed it up with a clinical 49.69 in the flat 400m. Two golds. Another $100,000 in the bank. That’s how champions move. But what makes this moment different? For the first time in her career, Sydney’s stepping into a space not even she has conquered before.

For the first time since 2018, she’s stepping onto the starting line of a 100m flat sprint. But here’s the twist: this will be her first professional 100m race ever. The last time she ran this distance was back in her collegiate days—and a lot has changed since then.

“As of right now, I think we might go to the short hurdles,” she told Sanya Richards-Ross after her electric double win in Miami. “Switch it up, yeah, test myself, work on some hurdle technique, work on some sprint speed.” That’s classic Sydney—always chasing the next challenge.

At the Philadelphia stop of the Grand Slam Track series, Sydney’s signed up for the “short hurdles” category, which includes the 100m hurdles and the flat 100m.  The shift may seem surprising, but the groundwork’s there. Her PB in the hurdles is a crisp 12.65, and just last year she ran a 12.71 into a headwind at Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles in May. Her 100m flat best, though not recent, sits at an impressive 11.07 from her teenage years. Now at 25, with Olympic medals and world records behind her, she brings power, precision, and maturity to the blocks.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s field is stacked

Let’s get this straight—Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s road back to the short hurdles won’t exactly be smooth. Sure, she makes the extraordinary look routine, but this next move? It’s anything but easy. After all, this isn’t her go-to event anymore.

According to World Athletics data, Sydney has raced the 100m hurdles at least 10 times, going all the way back to her high school days. At just 14, she was already clocking 13.34s and winning at the state level in New Jersey. Dominant then, determined now. But as her career soared, her appearances in the event grew fewer. She’s raced the 100m hurdles only sporadically since 2021—most recently running 12.71 in LA earlier this year.

Now, she returns to the event professionally, and the field? Stacked would be an understatement. She’ll line up against Masai Russell, who isn’t just the reigning Olympic champ but also the new American record holder with a jaw-dropping 12.17 in Miami—the second-fastest time ever. Behind her? Danielle Williams, a two-time world champ. Ackera Nugent? Also flying. The moment Sydney steps onto that line in Philadelphia, she’ll be hunted by the best in the game.

But that’s the thing about Sydney—she’s never backed away from a challenge. “Switch it up, yeah, test myself,” she said after her Miami double. That’s what this is all about.

So is she unstoppable? Or is the short hurdles where her limits begin? We’ll see.