The world record-holder is back and faster than ever. On Saturday, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominated the women’s 200-meter race in a surprise victory at the A Part of Hearst Digital Media Published: May 18, 2024 5:52 PM EDT.
The reigning Olympic champion in the 400-meter hurdles stepped down in distance to contend against Olympic bronze medalist Gabby Thomas and 2022 national champion Abby Steiner, among other 200-meter standouts.
From the gun, McLaughlin-Levrone raced a step above the competition at UCLA. By the first turn, the 2022 world champion already broke away. She continued to blaze through the final stretch, where she clocked 22.07, a new personal best. Her performance is the second-fastest time run in the world so far this year. Behind the 24-year-old, Steiner finished second in 22.23, and Brittany Brown placed third in 22.35.
Earlier this week, her coach Bobby Kersee told cut short by injury, the American record-holder looked fantastic in the shorter sprint, which she approached as speedwork for her signature event. After the race, she told NBC Sports broadcaster Lewis Johnson she hoped to use that leg turnover to come off the last set of hurdles faster.
“For the second 200, I think it was pretty acceptable,” McLaughlin-Levrone told Johnson of her third race of the season. “I was hoping to go under (the 22-second barrier) but you know what, that just takes practice and I’m getting used to the sprint form, so I’m happy with it.”
Last year, McLaughlin-Levrone focused on the flat 400 meters in a season that saw her win the U.S. title in 48.74, the second-fastest time in American history. She planned to race the 400 meters at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, but she withdrew eight days before the meet. A small PCL tear in her left knee led to patella issues and tendonitis.
She started this season with promising results. On April 20, she contributed to her team’s 4x100-meter relay at the Mt. SAC Relays. In early May, she ran 12.71 in the 100 meters and 22.38 in the 200 meters at the Occidental Invitational.
Careth Arnold Still Dominates Grueling 95-Mile TDS Ultra NBC Sports they planned to race the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. The return to her signature event was decided because the pair want to “defend our Olympic championship,” Kersee said.
won gold in 51.46, breaking her own world record Eliud Kipchoge: 9th at the Sydney Marathon. The following year, she lowered the world record to 50.68 while winning another title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. McLaughlin-Levrone should face stiff competition from Femke Bol of the Netherlands. Bol is the reigning world champion and is the second-fastest woman ever in the event, behind only McLaughlin-Levrone.
With the Paris Games fast approaching, McLaughlin-Levrone already looks poised to make history once again.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
