Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is no stranger to rewriting the script—but come June 2 in Philadelphia, she’s not just flipping the page, she’s changing the genre. After dominating the women’s long hurdles group at the first two stops of the Grand Slam Track (GST) circuit, Sydney is stepping into uncharted territory: the 100m hurdles. That’s right—for the first time in her professional career, the Olympic champion will sprint over the shorter barriers. And while fans have cheered her finesse over the long hurdles for nearly a decade, this will be their first chance to see her clash with the elite in the high-speed world of the short hurdles. But not everyone is sold on the move.

On May 26, track athlete Erin Brown stirred up social media with a post on X that hit like a starter’s pistol. “No Tobi, No Massai, No Grace Stark, Grand Slam doin everything in their power to make Sydney look great lol,” he wrote, pointing to the notable absences of Tobi Amusan, Masai Russell, and Grace Stark from the Philadelphia start list. Brown’s implication? The GST is clearing the path for Sydney to shine. But stepping in to set the record straight, Michael Johnson previously wrote on X, “Syd in Short Hurdles and Long Sprints is ideal, unless she’s going for another 400h WR.” But that justification may not be enough to stop the debate. So, here comes another.

On May 29, during an interview with WGN News, Johnson explained the logic behind Sydney’s event switch. “You take things like Sydney McLaughlin, people love to see Sydney, but they wanna see her challenged and right now no one can challenge her in the 400 hurdles, so she moves to the 100 hurdles and that’s a fan friendly league where the athletes partner with us, with Grand Slam track and we deliver to the fans what they wanna see,” he said. According to Johnson, this wasn’t about dodging competition—it was about creating it. The Grand Slam Track league is built on athlete-fan partnerships, and this bold move is designed to electrify the audience. But the twist doesn’t end there.

Johnson revealed that Sydney’s job isn’t done by simply crossing the line first in the hurdles. “Sydney just running the hurdles and winning, doesn’t qualify her as the champion and it puts her in position to be the champion,” he said. “She has to then come back in another race. In this case, this weekend, it’ll be the 100 meter dash, the 100 meter flat. And she’s gotta perform well enough there to score enough points to win.” In other words, one win won’t be enough. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will need to bring fire in both the 100m hurdles and the flat sprint to seal the deal in Philly. It’s a bold challenge. It’s a high-stakes pivot. And for Sydney, it’s a shot to prove she’s more than the queen of the 400m hurdles—she’s a multi-event force.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone says that she’s ready 

Before lacing up for the highly anticipated Philadelphia stop of Grand Slam Track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up to The Athletic about her bold new direction—and what it’s teaching her beyond just the short hurdles. “It’s definitely been a shift these past few weeks,” Sydney admitted. “But it’s been great to work on sprint mechanics, block start and hurdle technique, because those are all things– even though they aren’t as important in longer races-which can still be of benefit down the line.” For a reigning Olympic champion, this isn’t just a switch—it’s a study. Sydney isn’t just trying something new for show; she’s sharpening every edge of her craft. She knows that dialing in the explosive precision of the short hurdles could elevate her dominance in the 400m hurdles—and maybe even open doors to other sprint events.

What makes this move even more exciting is that it shows Sydney isn’t content with staying in her lane—literally or figuratively. She’s evolving. She’s testing limits. And she’s reminding fans and critics alike that champions aren’t built by comfort zones—they’re forged in challenges. So when Sydney steps onto the Philly track on June 2, she won’t just be debuting in a new event—she’ll be showcasing the next phase of her evolution.