The University of Kentucky’s own Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is dominating the track and field scene.
If you’ve already forgotten, the 24-year-old ran for Kentucky for one season, 2017-18. As a Wildcat, McLaughlin made it clear that she was going to be one of the best. Even before college, it was obvious she’d be a star. At just 16 years old, the sprinter came third in the 400m hurdles 2016 Olympic Trials, setting a world junior record at 54.15 seconds.
At Kentucky, McLaughlin destroyed the NCAA in the 400m, winning gold by nearly two seconds in a literal hail storm. She also broke the collegiate 400H record with a time of 52.75 seconds. After her time at UK, she broke her own record in the event. At the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, McLaughlin finished the 400H with a time of 50.68 seconds.
Since her one and only college season, McLaughlin-Levrone has created a legacy, while also seeming to enjoy life. The hurdler went pro in the summer of 2018. That fall, she signed a pretty sweet $1.5 million deal with New Balance. Then in 2019, she earned a silver medal in the 2019 World Championships 4x400m relay. That same year, at the 2019 IAAF World Athletic Championships, she won silver in the 400m hurdles event and gold in the 4x400m relay.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which took place in 2021), McLaughlin-Levrone won not one, but two gold medals. One came in the 400m hurdles and the other in the 4x400m relay. A year later, she married former NFL wide receiver Andre Levrone.
In 2022, McLaughlin ran her last 400H… until last week. In case you missed her performance, here’s a recap of what happened.
She ran really, really, really fast.
On May 31 at the 2024 Edwin Moses Legends Meet, McLaughlin-Levrone ran the world-leading time for the 400H. For it being her first 400H in over a year, she ran an insanely quick 52.70 seconds. The best part, though, is that the second-place runner ran more than three seconds slower (55.96).
While that number is under the entry standard for this year’s Olympics, McLaughlin will still need to secure selection for Team USA at the Team Trials from June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon. Even though she flew through the hurdles, McLaughlin-Levrone felt there was still work to be done on her time.
“We haven’t had much hurdle practice, so there’s a lot to improve,” the Kentucky alum said after her race.
Obviously, I’m confident that we’ll be seeing McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris this summer. The 2024 Paris Olympics take place July 26-August 11. The former Wildcat isn’t the only Kentucky alum expected to make an appearance in Paris for Team USA, though. Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, and Bam Adebayo for basketball, Abby Steiner (Track and Field), UK Med student Gerek Meinhardt (Fencing), and many others.
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