Why did Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone switch events from 400m hurdles to 400m? All we know about her plans for upcoming World Championships and Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently concluded an incredible campaign at the US National Track and Field Championships. The American athlete won the gold medal in the women's 400m, an event that she chose after letting go of her pet event - the 400m hurdles.

The Olympic gold medalist began her 2025 season in a pretty unconventional manner by skipping the entire indoor track season and making her first appearance in the inaugural edition of Michael Johnson's track meet, Grand Slam Track. After competing in the 400m hurdles in the first two editions of the Grand Slam Track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opted to compete in the short sprints and participated in both the 100m as well as the 100m hurdles.

Following the appearance in short sprints, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone took the track world by surprise when she announced her decision to compete in the 400m at the Prefontaine Classic and the US National Track and Field Championships. The American athlete clocked 48.90s to win the women's 400m by a formidable lead and subsequently qualify for the World Championships in September.

The Olympic gold medalist spoke about her decision to compete in the 400m at the World Championships in a post-race interview. She shed light on the highly competitive field in the 400m and expressed her desire to put forward her best effort, which was one of the main reasons to focus only on one event.

"We'll focus just on the 400 in Tokyo. It's a very daunting task in and of itself. It's a very competitive field. I respect those competitors for sure, and I want to make sure I can give my all to those races," she said.

Moreover, McLaughlin-Levrone shared that she wanted to challenge herself and step out of her comfort zone in this season. Speaking about the possibility of competing in the 400m at the upcoming LA Olympics 2028, she said:

"I view this as a challenge. It's not as comfortable, but I want to challenge myself. I feel like this is the year I want to step out of the box and challenge myself in a different way. Obviously, it's uncomfortable, but I'm just excited to see where."

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up about her performance in the 400m at the Prefontaine Classic 2025

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships - Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone clocked 49.43s and finished first in the Prefontaine Classic 2025. The American shared her thoughts about her performance in the event and expressed that she was disappointed at not being able to put forward a faster time.

McLaughlin-Levrone shared that the tactical aspect of the 400m is something that she is working on and hopes to master in her future appearances.

"Disappointment. I just know that I'm more fit than that. So, it's just about executing and putting our race together. And like I said yesterday, the 400m is something that I'm working on. So, every time I just feel like I'm learning a bit more. But yeah, definitely always want to go faster and I know I'm capable of it," she said. (0:33 onwards)

The 26-year-old expressed her desire to go faster in her future races and push her limits while continuing her pursuits to achieve greatness as an athlete.