"Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's not ducking from tough competition" - Fans react as American enters different event for World Championships bid

400m hurdles Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is set to compete outside of her signature event at the upcoming U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Fans were quick to react after learning that McLaughlin-Levrone will run only the 400m flat at the USATF Outdoor Championships, scheduled for July 31 to August 3 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

According to Citius Mag, the Olympic champion is not competing in 400m hurdles this time, which means she will not race in the event at the World Championships later this year. Instead, her focus is solely on the 400m flat, which she has already raced three times this season and won all three. Her season-best of 49.43s came at the Prefontaine Classic.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s personal best in the 400m stands at 48.74 seconds, which she set at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene on July 8, 2023. Despite qualifying, she missed the World Championships in Budapest due to injury.

At the 2025 U.S. Outdoors, she’ll line up against a competitive field that includes Aaliyah Butler, Isabella Whittaker, Lynna Irby-Jackson and Alexis Holmes. And if she qualifies for Worlds, she'll face stiff international competition from reigning Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser.

The announcement sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans were moved to see McLaughlin-Levrone take on the 400m flat again. Others expressed disappointment that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won’t be racing the hurdles this time, leaving the door open for rival Femke Bol to claim another gold.

“I hate it that Femke Bol gonna get another easy gold medal,” they wrote. “I respect this move because that means she’s not ducking from tough competition. Real gangsta if you ask me,” another wrote. “Dalilah Muhammad got the chance to do the craziest thing” they wrote. “She done dominated the 400mh and doing side missions now,” another wrote.

There was also a wave of excitement over whether she’s aiming for the American record.

“Oh she going for the US record…”

The current American record in the women’s 400m is 48.70s, held by Sanya Richards-Ross.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2025 season so far

Prefontaine Classic - Source: Getty

It’s been a busy and dominant season for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. After defending her 400m hurdles title and setting a new world record, she kicked off her year at Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track Series in Kingston, Jamaica. She won both the 400m and 400m hurdles there, and again at the Miami leg of the series.

She also made her professional 100m debut and even competed in the 100m hurdles. Then she competed at the Prefontaine Classic, where she clinched the 400m title with her season-best performance. She later withdrew from the Ed Murphey Classic due to sickness.

Now, as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prepares for the 400m at the U.S. Outdoor Championships, fans are expecting nothing less than another statement performance, possibly even a record-breaking run.

Edited by Luke Koshi