Sydney McLaughlin, an American hurdler and sprinter, has pushed herself to a new level over the last few years. She has frequently broken world records, making her competitors—none of whom are weak—disappear into the background as she pushes the boundaries of what is thought to be feasible in her line of work.
McLaughlin used to face obstacles everytime she stepped into the 400-meter hurdles starting blocks not too long ago. But now, she is already the current Olympic gold medallist, defeating a strong field of competitors in 50.68 seconds to win on Friday night, setting a record for the fourth time in two years.
McLaughlin’s primary ongoing conflict seems to be with the passing of time: When will she set a new world record?
Consider that McLaughlin defeated two of the women who advanced to Friday’s 400-meter final — while clearing 10 hurdles. Also keep in mind that she decreased her previous world record time by 0.73 seconds, which she established 27 days previously at the U.S. championships.
The most unbelievable of all? McLaughlin thinks there’s room for development.
Dalilah Muhammad, an Olympic and world champion, previously held the record before McLaughlin began to flourish. McLaughlin is still a fearsome athlete, despite the fact that injuries have prevented her from training. Since Muhammad beat her out for second place in the 400-meter hurdles at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019, McLaughlin, 22, has gone undefeated in the event. She has since gone on to establish herself as one of track and field’s most dominant athletes in what ought to be one of the sport’s most competitive events.
“I was kind of nervous, honestly, going into this meet, not knowing where my fitness level would be,” Muhammad said. “So to get a medal shows my resilience as an athlete.”
Bol, who finished third in the bronze medal count at the Tokyo Olympics behind McLaughlin and Muhammad, may be the current challenger who pushes McLaughlin past the Paris Olympics in 2024 and possibly beyond. The seventh-fastest time in history belongs to Bol. But there is still a distance between McLaughlin and Bol, as was shown as early dusk shadows swept the Hayward Field track and McLaughlin jumped out to a sizable lead at the halfway mark. Her romp down the finish line could have passed for a victory lap.
“I would definitely say it’s a flow state,” she said, “where you’re putting everything that you’ve done in practice into the race to the point where you’re just letting your body do what it does.”
McLaughlin is without a doubt the fastest woman to ever clear the 400-meter hurdle. When McLaughlin won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, she broke Muhammad’s world record once more, which she had first broken at the American Olympic trials in 2021. Muhammad came in second place in both events.
“My coach thinks there’s a lot more to be done,” she said.
McLaughlin used to face obstacles everytime she stepped into the 400-meter hurdles starting blocks not too long ago. But now, she is already the current Olympic gold medallist, defeating a strong field of competitors in 50.68 seconds to win on Friday night, setting a record for the fourth time in two years.
McLaughlin’s primary ongoing conflict seems to be with the passing of time: When will she set a new world record?
Consider that McLaughlin defeated two of the women who advanced to Friday’s 400-meter final — while clearing 10 hurdles. Also keep in mind that she decreased her previous world record time by 0.73 seconds, which she established 27 days previously at the U.S. championships.
The most unbelievable of all? McLaughlin thinks there’s room for development.
Dalilah Muhammad, an Olympic and world champion, previously held the record before McLaughlin began to flourish. McLaughlin is still a fearsome athlete, despite the fact that injuries have prevented her from training. Since Muhammad beat her out for second place in the 400-meter hurdles at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019, McLaughlin, 22, has gone undefeated in the event. She has since gone on to establish herself as one of track and field’s most dominant athletes in what ought to be one of the sport’s most competitive events.
“I was kind of nervous, honestly, going into this meet, not knowing where my fitness level would be,” Muhammad said. “So to get a medal shows my resilience as an athlete.”
Bol, who finished third in the bronze medal count at the Tokyo Olympics behind McLaughlin and Muhammad, may be the current challenger who pushes McLaughlin past the Paris Olympics in 2024 and possibly beyond. The seventh-fastest time in history belongs to Bol. But there is still a distance between McLaughlin and Bol, as was shown as early dusk shadows swept the Hayward Field track and McLaughlin jumped out to a sizable lead at the halfway mark. Her romp down the finish line could have passed for a victory lap.
“I would definitely say it’s a flow state,” she said, “where you’re putting everything that you’ve done in practice into the race to the point where you’re just letting your body do what it does.”
McLaughlin is without a doubt the fastest woman to ever clear the 400-meter hurdle. When McLaughlin won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, she broke Muhammad’s world record once more, which she had first broken at the American Olympic trials in 2021. Muhammad came in second place in both events.
“My coach thinks there’s a lot more to be done,” she said.
