Team USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shatters world record to win women’s 400m hurdles gold
What a birthday present this was for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
The American, who celebrated her 25th birthday on 7 August, ran a blisteringly fast race to win the Olympic Games Paris 2024 women’s 400m hurdles gold medal in a new world record time of 50.37 seconds.
It marked the fifth time the American had lowered her own world record, and she became the first woman to go back-to-back at the Olympics in the event since it made its debut at Los Angeles 1984.
"Grateful to God for this opportunity, grateful to be celebrating my 25th birthday like this," she said after her victory. "It was yesterday, just a super opportunity, you can’t even imagine."
Having made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016 at 17 and winning gold in front of an empty stadium at Tokyo 2020, she said Thursday (8 August) was like being on a whole new stage: "I think this was my first real Olympics," she said. "And I'm grateful for that in its fullness."
The American blasted out of the blocks, chasing down her biggest rival, the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, in the lane outside of her before building a sizeable lead with over 100m to go.
As McLaughlin-Levrone raced down the finishing straight, with the roars of the Stade de France crowd behind her, the thousands in the stands knew they were witnessing something special.
The U.S. superstar was alone, her competitors far behind her. And for the seconds it took before she crossed the finish line, you got the impression she was chasing history as much as another Olympic title.
“It’s amazing to see our sport continue to grow, for people to want to watch the 400m hurdles," continued McLaughlin-Levrone. "Just a lot of hard work put in this year. I knew it was going to be a tough race. An amazing competition all the way around.”
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lowers world record - again
There is an air of expectation every time McLaughlin-Levrone runs. However, the hype before this race reached fever-pitch as a showdown between the American and her Dutch rival Bol made this one of the most highly-anticipated finals of the Games.
Would McLaughlin-Levrone retain the Olympic title she won at Tokyo 2020? Would the in-form Bol shock the world with victory in Paris? The Dutch contingent showed out in force on Thursday evening, with orange everywhere you looked inside Stade de France.
In the end, the night belonged to the red, white and blus. McLaughlin-Levrone's victory was emphatic.
The American flew as Bol faded, with another American, Anna Cockrell, taking silver in a personal best time of 51.87. Bol crossed the line in 52.15 to win bronze.
McLaughlin-Levrone rarely races, but when she does, she delivers. Paris 2024 marked just her third outing in this event this season. Each time she's gotten faster. As she crossed the line some 1.5 seconds ahead of Cockrell in the Olympic final, she did what has become a habit: She looked over at the clock, trackside.
WORLD RECORD! It flashed.
McLaughlin-Levrone is known to be fast, but she also keeps her emotions close to the vest. She broke into a smile, taking in the roars around her, then she and Bol hugged. Somewhere within the celebrations a tiara was placed on her head, a fitting accessory to the second gold medal she had just earned.
"My sister-in-law brought that," McLaughlin-Levrone said of the tiara, cracking a smile. "She told me she was going to... [and] I thought she was joking, but she was serious."
With her "first Olympic" experience complete (at least individually), McLaughlin-Levrone said the tiara stood for something more: Her greater support system.
"My whole family got to be here," she said. "Especially after Tokyo [where] nobody's families were there, it's just special to have them in the crowd."
Paris 2024 athletics: Women's 400m hurdles podium
Gold: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA
Silver: Anna Cockrell, USA
Bronze: Femke Bol, Netherlands