Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone drops major flat 400m race bombshell ahead of Tokyo World Championships

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone drops major flat 400m race bombshell ahead of Tokyo World Championships

Mark Kinyanjui 22:03 - 07.04.2025

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has revealed whether or not she will be doubling up in both her specialist 400mH and the flat 400m race at the Tokyo World Championships.

American 400 meters-hurdles sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has hinted at possible plans to take part in the flat 400-meters event at the upcoming Tokyo World Championships set to take place this September.

Fresh off her dominant double victory at the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, Jamaica, where she stormed to a 52.76 in the 400m hurdles and clocked 50.32 in the flat 400m, McLaughlin-Levrone has made it clear she’s far from finished with the flat race.

Speaking to the media after her 400m event, which saw her win the US$100,000 reward for dominating the long hurdles, Levrone explained possible plans to double up by the time September will be nigh.

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"Anything's possible. I'm someone who likes to take it one step at a time, so I think everything's on the table," McLaughlin-Levrone said after her Kingston heroics. 

"We'll just have to see where we fare and continue to progress through the season, taking one step at a time."

The Olympic and world champion not only walked away with the long hurdles group title but also pocketed $100,000 in prize moneymaking her intentions on the track that much louder. But it wasn’t just about the payday. It’s about proving she can thrive in any lane.

With her eyes now set on a broader competitive range, McLaughlin-Levrone hinted at testing herself in the 100m, 100m hurdles and the 200, in future Grand Slam Tracks, with the second one set to take place in Philadelphia in June. 

"Honestly, we're going to do different slams. We might do the 100 hurdles, we might do the 200 and 400, so it's going to be a little bit of everything. I really just want to test myself over a range of events and see where I fare with the best of the best—and have fun."

Levrone has explained the difference between running in the 400m hurdles and taking part in the flat version of the distance.

"Switching from the hurdle mindset to the flat mindset adds a dual part to it. It's fun and overall makes you a better athlete. There's no pressure to it; it's really just focusing on yourself."

McLaughlin-Levrone also confessed that watching recent high-stakes 400m races fired up her competitive spirit and inspired her to jump back into the mix.

"As a competitor, for sure, you watch that and you're like, 'Wow, I would love to see where I pair up in that. It was a fast race, the best of the best were in that race.' It really excited me and makes me look forward to the opportunity to line up with them in June."

With the Tokyo World Championships looming and McLaughlin-Levrone openly entertaining the possibility of racing across multiple disciplines, the conversation has shifted. 

McLaughlin-Leverone might indeed now  be preparing to stake her claim as the queen of all one-lap races, which will inject some fire into the belly of Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, who is the reigning Olympic champion in the flat event.

And if her recent performances are any indication, the rest of the world better be ready.

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