Q&A: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sets sights on next track world record
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and the world-record holder in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
- She recently switched to the open 400-meter race, winning a world championship and setting a new American record.
- McLaughlin-Levrone is now considering pursuing the 400-meter world record and may compete in both the 400 and 400 hurdles in the future.
- She is the new face of Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses, which feature AI-powered tools.
There isn’t much Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone hasn’t achieved. The track and field star is one of the most accomplished active athletes across all sports.
McLaughlin-Levrone is the women’s 400-meter hurdles world-record holder and a four-time Olympic gold medalist. She’s the first woman in history to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles.
McLaughlin-Levrone removed the hurdles this year and decided to run the open 400. The event changed yielded similar results. McLaughlin-Levrone broke a 19-year-old American record en route to winning the world championship gold medal in the 400 with a championship record time of 47.78 seconds.
McLaughlin-Levrone met with USA TODAY Sports on behalf of Oakley Meta. She’s the new face of Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses that feature AI-powered performance tools.
“Whether it’s blocking out the sun or style points. I think these glasses, for me, kind of encompass all of it,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “Including the ability with even training and performance have that innovative edge.”
Here are the highlights from the interview:
Editor’s note: McLaughlin-Levrone’s answers were slightly edited for clarity.
What made you switch from the 400 hurdles to the open 400 for this season?
McLaughlin-Levrone: “I really think there was just a challenge there to push. Two years ago when I pursued it in 2023, I just wasn’t able to make it to the World Championships due to injury. Circling back this year, I felt this tug on my heart to really pursue it again. The year was up and downs of just trying to figure out this event. Though it’s the same distance, it’s so different from the hurdles. So just wanting to push myself through that challenge, and I’m grateful for how it turned out.”
You’re the world-record holder in the 400 hurdles and the American-record holder in the open 400. The women’s 400 world record is 47.60. Is that what you’re eyeing next?
McLaughlin-Levrone: “I think it’s fair to say that that’s definitely something that’s on my radar. I think coming so close at Worlds.
‘I think we knew that sub-48 was there. I think I was a little surprised to see 47.78. You feel so close yet so far away from that world record. But it’s exciting. I think it’s an exciting time for sports. It’s an exciting time for that event. It definitely is a challenge that I hopefully can push myself in for more races to come.”
Have you thought about competing in both the 400 hurdles and 400 at the world championships or 2028 Olympics?
McLaughlin-Levrone: “There’s been a lot of talk about this double. I can’t rule anything out. I think one of the beauties of just the versatility is that there’s options, and so I think over the next few years, we’ll definitely have to weigh kind of what makes sense for us and what that looks like. I don’t think we’re settled on anything quite yet, so everything’s on the table.”
A track and field woman hasn’t won AP Female Athlete of the Year or Best Female Athlete at the ESPY Awards in over 20 years. Your resume is as good as anyone’s. Do you feel you deserve the award?
McLaughlin-Levrone: “I think it’s tough when there’s so much different criteria that goes into all of these different things and how these awards are kind of scored. I was nominated for an ESPY this year. It was really nice to be able to go to be amongst all the amazing athletes.
“I don’t know what all the criteria is. I’m just going to keep working hard. My husband looked at me and was like, ‘You’re a winner in my eyes.’ And I joked. I was like, ‘Maybe I needed one more world record to set it over the top.’ I think track and field is not at the forefront of American sports because of just our profile is a bit smaller. That’s where my hope for the L.A. (Olympics) is to really boost all of our profiles in that sense.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
