Gold in Tokyo Olympics, Paris Olympics, and 2022 World Championships, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has become an undisputed queen when it comes to the 400m hurdles. Even in the last two editions of the Michael Johnson-formatted Grand Slam Track in Kingston and Miami, the 25-year-old dominated the long hurdles group. In back-to-back days, she scorched through the 400m hurdles with a world-leading 52.07 and followed it up with a clinical 49.69 in the flat 400m. Two golds in Miami alone. However, as she moves to the next edition of the Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia, a new challenge awaits the hurdle queen.

For the first time in her professional career, Sydney is set to make her debut in the 100m flat sprint. See, McLaughlin has never feared any challenges, but the last time she participated in a 100m sprint was way back during her collegiate days. When talking about her participation in the 100m category, Sydney opened up about how she keeps challenging herself.

“If we are actually gonna go to the short hurdles, definitely wanna work on my hurdle technique for sure, and those girls are running really fast, so I would love to go out there, challenge myself. I would love to hopefully PR and challenge myself in the one which would just help me with my sprint mechanics, help me with my hurdle technique,e and yeah just put myself in a different position than I’m used to,” she said last week. While this will be an entirely new category for Sydney, the 4x Olympic gold medalist has already done some groundwork.

Her PB in the hurdles is a crisp 12.65, and just last year she ran a 12.71 into a headwind at the Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles in May. Her 100m flat best, though not recent, sits at an impressive 11.07 from her teenage years. Now at 25, with Olympic medals and world records behind her, she brings power, precision, and maturity to the blocks.

Even Michael Johnson, the man behind the Grand Slam Track, weighed in on why McLaughlin-Levrone is willing to step into the untested waters. Per the legendary sprinter, “Sydney loves a challenge. If she’s doing long hurdles, it’s because she wants to accomplish a specific time. Short hurdles. She wants to measure herself against the best 100 hurdlers or test herself over 100m flat. @GrandSlamTrack gives her the flexibility and opportunity to be challenged. Fans are the beneficiaries,” he shared his thoughts on X.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s field is stacked

Let’s get this straight—Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s road back to the short hurdles won’t exactly be smooth. Sure, she makes the extraordinary look routine, but this next move? It’s anything but easy. After all, this isn’t her go-to event anymore.

According to World Athletics data, Sydney has raced the 100m hurdles at least 10 times, going all the way back to her high school days. At just 14, she was already clocking 13.34s and winning at the state level in New Jersey. Dominant then, determined now. But as her career soared, her appearances in the event grew fewer. She’s raced the 100m hurdles only sporadically since 2021—most recently running 12.71 in LA earlier this year.

Now, she returns to the event professionally, and to the field? Stacked would be an understatement. She’ll line up against Masai Russell, who isn’t just the reigning Olympic champ but also the new American record holder with a jaw-dropping 12.17 in Miami—the second-fastest time ever. Behind her? Danielle Williams, a two-time world champ. Ackera Nugent? Also flying. The moment Sydney steps onto that line in Philadelphia, she’ll be hunted by the best in the game.

But that’s the thing about Sydney—she’s never backed away from a challenge. “Switch it up, yeah, test myself,” she said after her Miami double. That’s what this is all about.

So is she unstoppable? Or is the short hurdles where her limits begin? We’ll see.