At the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the world record for the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.65 seconds. This was her fifth time breaking the record and she did it flawlessly with a sprint to the finish line. The previous record was set by McLaughlin-Levrone herself at the 2022 world championships, making her accomplishment even more impressive.
After the race, McLaughlin-Levrone expressed her surprise and happiness at breaking yet another record. She credited her coach, Bobby Kersee, for helping her reach new heights in the sport. By making adjustments like dropping her stride count between hurdles, Kersee has played a significant role in her success since she first set the record in 2021.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s victory at the Olympic trials puts her in a league of her own with a nearly two-second lead over her closest competitors. Her dominance has sparked discussions about the possibility of breaking the 50-second barrier in the future, something even hurdling legend Edwin Moses mentioned as a possibility given her performance and continued progress under Kersee’s guidance.
With Paris hosting the upcoming Olympics on August 8th, McLaughlin-Levrone is now poised to potentially achieve another milestone in the 400m hurdles event. As she continues to grow as an athlete and push herself to new limits, one thing is certain – we will be watching closely to see just how fast she can go and what other records she will break along the way.