Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas set to compete in a unique event for the first time against each other

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone confirmed her participation in a set of new events for the upcoming edition of the Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia. The American athlete will be transitioning to the short sprints and competing in the 100m hurdles and 100m.

This race holds a huge significance as it would be the Olympic gold medalist's career, and it would be her first professional race in the 100m. In the previous edition of Grand Slam Track in Miami, McLaughlin-Levrone hinted about shifting to the short events in Philadelphia, which raised a lot of anticipation among fans.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about exploring different events as the outdoor season took shape and hoped to put forward her best performance in all her appearances. The American athlete will be going head-to-head against Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, who has also confirmed her participation in the short sprints events (100m and 200m).

Thomas continued her unbeaten streak in the 200m in both editions of the Grand Slam Track in the 2025 season. Moreover, Thomas clocked her fastest time in the 100m in three years at the Texas Invitational with a performance of 11.02s. With both Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in great form, their head-to-head battle raised a huge anticipation among fans who expressed their excitement on social media.

McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas had competed against each other only once in their whole career at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix before the Paris Olympics in the 200m. They would be competing in the 100m against each other for the first time.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on transitioning to a new event

McLaughlin-Levrone speaks at a press conference during World Athletics Awards 2024 - Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about transitioning to a new event in an post race interview at the Grand Slam Track in Miami. The American athlete expressed her excitement to make small changes in her training routine to prepare for the races,

Moreover, she shared how it would be interesting to compete in a new event after a long period of time. McLaughlin-Levrone was excited for the challenge and push herself out of her comfort zone.

"I'm going to start coming out the blocks. Start working on my drive phase and hurdle technique but it's good, it'll challenge me. Just training through, having some fun, switching it up. So, I am excited." (00:24 onwards).

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone hoped to put forward her best performance and continue to dominate the new event in the upcoming edition of Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia.

About the author

Adityan is a journalist and Content Manager for US Olympics Sports at Sportskeeda. He is a professional track & field athlete who competes in the 400m and 800m. This decade-long experience has taught him a lot about sports psychology, mindset, and passion, which he incorporates through his work to get the best outcome.

To make sure the content he delivers is genuine, Adityan keeps a tab on the official websites and the official social media channels of athletes and organizations. Before putting any information out in the public domain, he looks at the content from a fan’s perspective to connect with the readers as much as possible.

With a knack for crafting compelling narratives and insightful analysis, Adityan seamlessly blends his expertise in sports with his talent for storytelling, captivating readers and enthusiasts alike.

He has followed Usain Bolt's career very closely, and for him, the Jamaican defending his 100m gold in Rio is the greatest Olympic achievement of all time. Adityan indulges in traveling, trekking, off-roading, and hiking when not occupied with work.

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Edited by Adityan Pillai