Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Shocking Absence from Women’s 400m Final

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone still has one more chance to medal in Paris.

PARIS, France — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has decided not to compete in the women’s 400-meter finals, a race involving her Team USA colleague Alexis Holmes.

After breaking her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles to defend her Olympic title, McLaughlin-Levrone opted to concentrate on this event alone. Initially, she had plans to compete in the 200 and 400-meter flat races during the U.S. Olympic trials but later withdrew from them.

In a post-race interview, she explained her focus on the hurdles event, stating, “I think we wanted to just stick with our bread and butter.”

She believes that running the flat 400 provides valuable lessons to hurdlers, particularly in race strategy and enhancing flat speed, although acknowledging that they are distinct races. Just days before the Olympic trials, she clocked 48.75 seconds in the 400 flat at the NYC Grand Prix, marking the third fastest time in U.S. history.

Scheduling conflicts in Paris made it impractical for her to compete in both the 400-meter flat and hurdles. This overlapping schedule would have forced her to alternate between running hurdles and the 400 flat, leading up to both finals.

Looking ahead, McLaughlin-Levrone still has one final opportunity to secure an Olympic medal. She is expected to participate in the women’s 4x400m relay.