With Femke Bol's absence, Who will Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's biggest competitors at the Prefontaine Classic? All about the highly anticipated event

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will face her relay teammate, Alexis Holmes, 2025 Indoor World champion, Amber Anning, and others at the Prefontaine Classic amid Femke Bol's absence. McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol have been toe-to-toe rivals for a while now, with the former leading the head-to-head competitions in 400m hurdles while the Dutchwoman has a 400m indoor world record in her resume.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 400m hurdles world record holder, lowered her record for the sixth time at the Paris Olympics, clocking 50.37s. Her effort left Femke Bol in bronze in 52.15s behind runners-up Anna Cockrell. In 2025, Mclaughlin-Levrone competed in her signature events in the debut Grand Slam Track stop, becoming the long hurdles Slam champion.

On the other hand, Bol became a double European indoor champion in relays and set meeting records in the 400m hurdles at the Rabat Diamond League and FBK Games in Hengelo.

However, at the recent Diamond League stop in Eugene, she will not be in the 400m line-up alongside Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, increasing the latter's chances of claiming gold in the distance and having more US athletes on the podium.

Updated list of female athletes competing in the 400m flat at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene

1) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

2) Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL)

3) Amber Anning (GBR)

4) Aaliyah Butler (USA)

5) Rosey Effiong (USA)

6) Alexis Holmes (USA)

6) Bailey Lear (USA)

7) Dejanea Oakley (JAM)

8) Isabella Whittaker (USA)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made her feelings known about the ESPY nomination

McLaughlin-Levrone at the Grand Slam Track - Philadelphia - (Source: Getty)

McLaughlin-Levrone was in action at the third stop of the Grand Slam Track, shifting from her conventional event to compete in the 100m hurdles. She failed to make a podium finish, trailing in fifth in 12.70s. Recently, she received a nomination for the ESPY Best Athlete award, joining the likes of gymnast Simone Biles, WNBA icon A'ja Wilson, and fellow track athlete Gabby Thomas.

Sharing the poster on her Instagram story, she credited her hard work and faith for the honor.

"Nominated for an ESPY🥹 proud of all the faith + hard work being recognized! You guys can vote for me here! Thanks all!"

McLaughlin-Levrone first eclipsed Dalilah Muhammad's 400m hurdles world record at the 2021 US Olympic trials. She became the first athlete to break four records over 13 months and the first woman to run sub-52s and sub-51s. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was named World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year in 2022.

About the author

Agnijeeta is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has worked as a school teacher, a blogger, a content writer and a sports writer over the past 5 years. A lover of high-adrenaline track and field events, she was also a sprinter during her school days.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone happens to be her favorite Olympian, and the athlete’s feat of breaking four records within 13 months inspires her, apart from the American's body language on and off the track. Grant Hackett swimming with a partially dysfunctional lung and winning gold in Athens is her all-time favorite Olympic moment.

Agnijeeta believes that deriving of unique angles from podcasts and interviews carried out by Olympics.com, along with hype-building of potential Olympic events on social media can help fill the coverage gap during the off season.

When not at her work desk, Agnijeeta likes to sing and paint. She also plays string instruments like guitar and ukulele and is an avid player of word puzzles.

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Edited by Agnijeeta Majumder