Why is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone not competing in 400m flat at Paris Olympics despite being the fastest runner of 2024? Exploring her absence

By Zahid Rashid Dar

Modified Jul 19, 2024 11:30 GMT

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the fastest 400m runner of the 2024 outdoor season. Despite that, she won't be competing in the event at the Paris Olympics 2024 after withdrawing from the event at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.

Earlier in the season, McLaughlin-Levrone’s coach Bobby Kersee claimed that she was only going to focus on her premier event, the 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics 2024. When asked for the reason, he stated (via NBC):

"That’s her main event. That’s what we want to defend our Olympic championship in."

“I think Sydney’s love is the 400m hurdles, and so that’s the number-one event. My job is to make sure that she gets ready for the one that she wants to do the most,” Kersee added.

However, the 400m hurdles world record holder did race in the 400m flat at the USATF NYC Grand Prix before the trials, and clocked a blistering 48.75s, the world leading time in the distance this year. She entered in 400m hurdles, 400m flat, and 200m for the Olympic Trials, but withdrew from the last two days before the competition started.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed after the 2022 season that she wanted to explore the 400m flat event. She didn't contest in the 400m hurdles in 2023, and at the US Championships, she ran 48.74 to win the 400m flat title, making her the second-fastest American in the distance.

The 27-year-old was eying a world title in the event at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. However, she withdrew from the event following a small tear in her left knee. In her absence, her 400m hurdles rival Femke Bol won her first title. McLaughlin-Levrone raced the 400m flat only once this season, and will now only contest in the hurdle race at the Paris Olympics.

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Can Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone defend her 400m hurdles title at the Paris Olympics 2024?

World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Sydney McLaughlin wins gold (Photo-Getty)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone entered the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after breaking the 400m hurdles world record at the Olympic Trials, which was previously held by Dalilah Muhammed. She would break the record again in Tokyo to win gold while Muhammed finished 2nd and Femke Bol finished third.

McLaughlin-Levrone has since lowered the record to 50.65s, the last record-breaking time coming at the 2024 Olympic Trials, and she is likely going to lower it again in Paris. But is there anyone who can go faster than McLaughlin-Levrone? Femke Bol.

Bol recently became the only second woman after Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to clock a sub-51 second timing, running a 50.95s at Resisprint International. She has kept pushing the American since the Tokyo Olympics, and while it's sure that the same would happen in Paris, don't be surprised if the Dutch hurdler manages to throw a big surprise.