Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the defending Olympic champion, successfully qualified for the women’s 400m hurdles final by delivering an impressive performance in the semifinals, where she finished with a time of 52.13 seconds, over a second and a half ahead of her closest competitor.
McLaughlin-Levrone previously clinched gold medals in both the women’s 400m hurdles and the women’s 4x400m relay during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. As a standout member of Team USA, she is considered a strong contender to reclaim her title in Paris.
Fellow Team USA athletes Jasmine Jones and Anna Cockrell also secured spots in the final with times of 53.83 seconds and 52.90 seconds, respectively. McLaughlin-Levrone currently holds the world record for the 400m hurdles at 50.65 seconds and the Olympic record at 51.46 seconds, both remarkable achievements.
At 24, McLaughlin-Levrone will celebrate her birthday on August 7, during the Olympic competitions in Paris, marking her third Olympic appearance. She first competed at the Rio Olympics in 2016 at just 17 years old, the youngest U.S. Olympian in track and field since 1972, though she did not advance past the semifinals that year.
The women’s 400m hurdles final is scheduled for Thursday, August 8, at 3:25 p.m. ET/12:25 p.m. PT. Fans can tune in to watch McLaughlin-Levrone’s performance live on NBC and Peacock.
Additionally, McLaughlin-Levrone is slated to compete in the women’s 4x400m relay, an event in which the United States has claimed victory in the past seven Olympic Games.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who became Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone after marrying Andre Levrone Jr. in May 2022, hails from Dunellen, New Jersey.