Who is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone? American athlete clinches 400m gold at World Championships; misses record by whisker

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone delivered a remarkable performance at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo on Thursday (September 18). She claimed the women’s 400m gold with a time of 47.78 seconds. Racing through the rain, she came extremely close, just 0.18 seconds shy of breaking Marita Koch’s 40-year-old 400m record of 47.60 seconds.

However, her run smashed the championship record from 1983 and marked the second-fastest 400m time in history. Notably, McLaughlin-Levrone's time set a championship record, which was formerly held by Jarmila Kratochvilova (47.99) of then-Czechoslovakia in 1983.

Who is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a 26-year-old American from New Jersey, is a track and field sensation, best known for her dominance in the 400m hurdles. She has won two Olympic golds and a world title.

At the 2025 World Championships, she proved her brilliance by extending beyond hurdles, claiming her first global title in the 400m flat.

Podium finishes

The women’s 400m final was a showcase of fierce competition and talent. Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic secured silver with a strong 47.98 seconds, while Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser claimed bronze in 48.19 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone’s ability to outpace such a formidable field, despite the wet conditions, highlighted her exceptional speed and focus.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's reaction after the win

Speaking after the race, McLaughlin-Levrone expressed the result was the combination of hard work in training and belief.

“You know it’s there, you work for it, but when it happens, there’s still a bit of awe,” she said. She also pointed out that rain had left the track slick before the event, which made the conditions for the race difficult," she said.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's career wins

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone secured her first World Championship gold in the open 400-meter event. She is a three-time global champion in the 400-meter hurdles, with two Olympic golds and one world title, and has earned four gold medals in the 4x400 relay.

Making her debut in 2019, McLaughlin-Levrone claimed a silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles. Since then, she has consistently shattered her own world record, including a remarkable 50.37-second performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.