"Nothing short of God's grace" - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up on breaking her world record at the Paris Olympics for the sixth time

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Sep 19, 2024 02:09 GMT

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has a unique association with world records. Most athletes take years, if not decades, to break world records but McLaughlin-Levrone breaks world records in the 400m hurdles like child's play.

The Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles recently opened up on breaking the world record for the sixth consecutive time. She revealed what inspired her to do the unthinkable.

Speaking on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show', McLaughlin-Levrone said,

"Honestly, I always wanted to be a track athlete. I also aspired to be at the Olympics. So, this being my third Olympics, being able to break that [world] record for the sixth time, it's nothing short of God's grace." [01:00 onwards]

The Olympic champion hurdler had previously expressed in an interview, just after the Paris Olympics, what it felt like to break her own world record at the Paris Olympics. In her words,

"Jeez. That was the moment, the moment you dream about as a kid and when it comes real, you're just like, oh my gosh, this is real life and just a blessing. Super excited."

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's tryst with world records began in 2021, when she defeated the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder, Dalilah Muhammad of the USA, in the US Olympic Track and Field Trials for the Tokyo Olympics. McLaughlin-Levrone clocked 51.90 seconds, becoming the first athlete to do so.

She bettered her timing at the Tokyo Olympics, winning her first Olympic gold medal with a timing of 51.46 seconds. Dalilah Muhammad had to settle for the silver medal once again, with a personal best of 51.58 seconds. Since then, the Olympic champion has broken the world record four more times, the latest being at the Paris Olympics, where she clocked 50.37 seconds to win the gold medal.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at the Paris Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone posing with the World Record after winning the 400m hurdles event at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone entered the Paris Olympics as the strongest contender for an Olympic gold medal in the women's 400m hurdles, having broken her world record for the fifth time with a timing of 50.65 seconds.

However, arch-rival Femke Bol of the Netherlands wasn't very far behind, having clocked 50.95 seconds only weeks after the American hurdler broke the world record. The bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics was out to prove that she was far from a pushover.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands topped the heats overall, with a timing of 53.38 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone clocked 53.60 seconds to qualify for the semifinals. Bol topped her heats again in the semifinals, with a timing of 52.57 seconds. However, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had the upper hand, with a timing of 52.13 seconds.

The finals would see who turned out to be the better one. As usual, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone took the lead, with Femke Bol not very far behind. However, in the final 100 meters of the race, the defending Olympic champion took the lead, and her teammate Anna Cockrell, who was initially third, followed her up, leaving Femke Bol behind.

McLaughlin-Levrone broke her world record with a timing of 50.37 seconds. Anna Cockrell recorded a personal best of 51.87 seconds to win a silver medal, while Femke Bol had to settle for the bronze medal once again, with a timing of 52.15 seconds.

However, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wasn't done yet. She completed a 'golden double' for the second consecutive time by winning the gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay event. The Olympic champion ran the second leg of the race, taking over the baton from Shamier Little and handing it over to double Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle 'Gabby' Thomas, who had won the Olympic gold in women's 200m and the women's 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics.

Gabby Thomas handed over the baton to Alexis Holmes, who ran the final leg of the race, giving the USA their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay with a new continental record of 3 minutes and 15.27 seconds.