Whenever the contention for the 400m hurdles took place, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol often took up the first two spots. However, both rivals decided to forego the hurdles and explore a new discipline. While McLaughlin-Levrone went for 400m flat this year, Bol announced that she’ll move to the 800m category from the next season. Well, it seems like McLaughlin-Levrone’s 400m counterpart, Marileidy Paulino, is also looking to explore something new on the tracks.

Known for her strength and endurance in the final stages of the 400m races, Paulino seems to believe that exploring the 800m could open up new challenges and add another dimension to her already star-studded career. And when she came across Bol’s announcement to make the shift on social media, Paulino commented, “Excellent 🙌💪I plan on trying next year too, but just as a test.” 

Well, there’s a humongous gap between the 400m and the 800m race. A head-to-head between Bol and Paulino in the 800m would not only be a fascinating tactical battle but could also blur the traditional boundaries between sprint and endurance events. And both of them seem to pose a significant threat to the existing stars like Keely Hodgkinson and Lilian Odira. 

Moving from the 400m hurdles to the 800m was a huge step for Bol. It was a massive disappointment for the fans who wished to see McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol go face-to-face once again in the 400m hurdles. Nevertheless, with these transitions, many others have begun to visualize some new rivalries forming in 400mH, 400m, and 800m categories. 

Femke Bol and Marileidy Paulino’s rivalry against Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

“It’s always unique to compete against her. I love it, even though there’s a very good chance I’ll finish second,” Bol told NOS when she was asked about McLaughlin-Levrone’s shift to the 400m flat. It’s often the two of them who compete against each other with the fiercest runs. She continued, “As a track and field enthusiast, I think it’s great that she’s going to do the 400. But as an athlete, I’d love to run against her, that just hasn’t happened very often.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has a more dominant stance in the 400m races. In the hurdles, her personal best is 50.37s (All-time World leading record), while 1for Bol, it is 50.95s (All-time second on world leading list after McLaughlin-Levrone). Even in the 400m flats, McLaughlin-Levrone has finished faster than her Dominican rival, Marileidy Paulino. And as far as McLaughlin-Levrone’s rivalry with Paulino is concerned, fans already saw the heat at the Tokyo World Championships. With the time of 47.78s, the American became the second fastest woman in the 400m (2025 world leading time), while Paulino clocked in at 47.98s (second on 2025 world leading list).

Following the race, Paulino quoted, “I feel like I won because I’ve been preparing myself, running five consecutive years, running six, seven, eight races a year, and that’s called winning. Not just showing up two or three times a year.” And many fans took it as a subtle jab at Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, further lighting up their rivalry.

But the excitement for the shift is palpable. Bol’s coach, Laurent Meuwly, stated, “I can see in training and I can see in her qualities everything to become a successful 800m runner. We’re excited, curious, but we also have a lot of respect for the challenge.” But with Lilian Odira and Keely Hodgkinson already in the lineup, Bol is up for a pretty tough challenge. And, with Paulino joining the roster, the 800m run is going to look solid, don’t you think?