Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominates 400 hurdles, sets world record again

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued her dominance in the women’s 400 hurdles, setting (another) world record Sunday at Hayward Field in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials finale. McLaughlin-Levrone crossed the finish line in 50.65 seconds, then covered her mouth in shock upon seeing her time.

McLaughlin-Levrone's previous world record, also set at Hayward Field, was 50.68, which she ran at the 2022 World Championships.

Anna Cockrell (52.64) was second and Jasmine Jones (52.77) was third and will join McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris.

Dalilah Muhammad, who won gold in Rio and silver in Tokyo, finished sixth.

McLaughlin-Levrone is the defending gold medalist in the 400 hurdles, and nearly every time she lines up on the track she sets a new world record. She isn’t just the favorite in Paris but expected to win by a wide margin.

McLaughlin-Levrone will likely be on the 4x400 team as well; she ran the first leg of the relay at the Tokyo Games, leading the Americans to gold.

Relay team pools are expected to be announced by USATF by July 8.

McLaughlin-Levrone has flirted with the idea of running the 400 hurdles and 400, but the current Olympic track schedule is not conducive to that. Sometimes it seems that McLaughlin-Levrone could win, or at least contend for a medal, in any of the sprinting events. As of Sunday morning she had the sixth fastest 200 time this season, set Los Angeles in May.