Sydney McLaughlin gives honest take on improvements needed to break her 400m hurdles world record

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shed light on her plans for lowering her 400m hurdles for the seventh time after her latest Grand Slam Track feat in Miami. McLaughlin-Levrone breezed past rivals in her signature event, clocking 52.07s to record the fastest time of the year.

Time and again, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has proven why her prowess in the 400m hurdles event is hard to match. She first smashed Dalilah Muhammad's world record at the 2021 US Olympic Trials and has since lowered her own record five times; the latest at the Paris Olympics, clocking 50.37s. McLaughlin-Levrone was in action at the first stop of the Grand Slam Track in Jamaica, winning the 400m hurdles and earning the long hurdles title and bagging the top prize of $100,000.

In the second GST stop in Miami, she graced the line-up to again etch her name in the history books. She touched the finish line in a world-leading time of 52.07s and won the 400m hurdles with 12 points. In an interview after the race, when asked about her plans to lower the world record again, McLaughlin-Levrone shared that she would focus on improving with each race.

"There's a lot that can always be changed, I just think it's going to be continuing to improve hurdle-wise, continuing to improve stride pattern-wise, and just putting that perfect race together," she said via Flotrack.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist will race in the 400m in Miami on May 4.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once shared her thoughts about rivalry in sports

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone looking on at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 - Athletics - (Source: Getty)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the most formidable in the 400m hurdles event. Dutch athlete Femke Bol has been one of the most promising on-track rivals of the world record holder. Shedding light on how competitors hold mutual respect and are supportive of each other's journeys, the American said:

"I respect all of my competitors, and I know that there are some very fast women in this sport. Some of the rivalry talks sometimes get to a point where it almost turns into hatred, and that's what I don't like. If you saw the conversations behind closed doors, it's nothing but respect." (via Spill The Tea episode at the GST)

McLaughlin-Levrone was part of the invitational 200m and 400m races at the 2024 Diamond League finals. Despite not racing competitively, she won both events. The two-time Olympian won the most dominant American track and field athlete honor by USATF in 2024.