Philadelphia, PA – June 2, 2025 – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world-renowned 400m hurdles world record holder and four-time Olympic champion, showcased her versatility and competitive spirit at the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia, held from May 31 to June 1, 2025. Stepping outside her signature event, McLaughlin-Levrone tackled the short hurdles group, competing in the 100m hurdles and her first-ever professional 100m flat race. Her performances electrified the crowd at Franklin Field, as she clocked an impressive 12.70 seconds in the 100m hurdles and a personal best of 11.21 seconds in the 100m flat, securing a second-place overall finish in the short hurdles group behind Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent.
### A Bold Leap into New Territory
Known for her dominance in the 400m hurdles, where she holds the world record of 50.37 seconds set at the Paris 2024 Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone embraced the challenge of dropping down to the shorter distances. The Grand Slam Track series, spearheaded by sprinting legend Michael Johnson, requires athletes to compete in two related events within their category, with points awarded based on finishing positions to determine the group winner. For Philadelphia, McLaughlin-Levrone opted for the short hurdles category, which includes the 100m hurdles and 100m flat, testing her speed and adaptability against some of the world’s top sprinters and hurdlers.
On Saturday, May 31, McLaughlin-Levrone lined up for the 100m hurdles, an event she has raced sparingly in her career. Facing a stacked field that included the second- and third-fastest 100m hurdlers in the world for 2025, USA’s Tia Jones and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, she delivered a solid performance, finishing fifth with a time of 12.70 seconds despite rainy and overcast conditions. Nugent claimed victory with a facility-record time of 12.44 seconds, followed by Jones at 12.60 seconds and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper at 12.66 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone’s time was just 0.05 seconds off her personal best of 12.65, set at the USATF Golden Games in May 2021, underscoring her ability to compete at an elite level in an event outside her comfort zone.
### A Stellar Professional 100m Debut
The following day, McLaughlin-Levrone made history by competing in her first professional 100m flat race, a distance she last ran in 2018 as a collegiate athlete at the University of Kentucky, where she clocked a wind-aided 11.07 seconds. At Philadelphia, she faced a formidable challenge from Nugent, who had already secured the 100m hurdles win the previous day. McLaughlin-Levrone rose to the occasion, crossing the finish line in a remarkable 11.21 seconds to take second place, just behind Nugent’s winning time of 11.11 seconds. Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji rounded out the podium with 11.41 seconds. This performance marked a new personal best for McLaughlin-Levrone in legal wind conditions and highlighted her potential as a sprinter beyond her hurdling prowess.
### Reflections on a New Challenge
McLaughlin-Levrone’s decision to compete in the short hurdles group was a deliberate move to push her limits and refine her sprinting and hurdling techniques. “I’ve learned in the past three weeks it’s a completely different energy system,” she told *The Athletic* before the event. “But I think that decision just comes from the fact that I want to be able to show just that I’m a full-rounded athlete. I love the 400. I love the 400 hurdles, but I also love the 100 hurdles, I love the [100 sprint], the [200 sprint], the long jump.” Her enthusiasm for exploring new events was evident in her post-race comments, where she expressed excitement about the opportunity to work on her sprint mechanics and block starts, skills that could enhance her performance in her primary events.
The 25-year-old’s versatility was further highlighted by her ability to hold her own against specialists like Nugent, who dominated the short hurdles category by winning both the 100m hurdles and 100m flat, securing the $100,000 prize for the group. McLaughlin-Levrone’s second-place finish in the category demonstrated her competitiveness, even in unfamiliar territory, and added to her impressive resume, which includes six world record breaks in the 400m hurdles and gold medals in both the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.
### The Grand Slam Track Experience
The Philadelphia event, the third stop in the inaugural Grand Slam Track series, brought together 48 contracted “Racers” and additional “Challengers” competing across six event groups, with a total prize pool of $12.6 million across the four-event season. McLaughlin-Levrone, a contracted racer, has been a standout in the series, having swept the long hurdles group (400m hurdles and 400m flat) at the Kingston and Miami meets earlier in the season, earning $100,000 for each victory. Her decision to switch to the short hurdles in Philadelphia was a bold move that captivated fans and added intrigue to the competition.
Despite the condensed two-day schedule and the elimination of the 5,000m events, the Philadelphia meet maintained its high-energy format, with broadcasts on The CW and Peacock keeping viewers engaged. McLaughlin-Levrone’s performances were a highlight, drawing praise from fans and analysts alike for her willingness to experiment and compete against the best in the world.
### Looking Ahead
McLaughlin-Levrone’s performances in Philadelphia have sparked excitement about her potential in shorter sprint and hurdle events. With the final Grand Slam Track event scheduled for Los Angeles from June 27-29, 2025, she has hinted at possibly competing in the long sprints category (200m and 400m) or even continuing to explore the short hurdles. Her adaptability and fearless approach to new challenges make her a fan favorite and a driving force in elevating the sport’s visibility, as she noted in an interview with *The Inquirer*: “I think [Grand Slam Track] just gives a different aspect to the sport, to competing... it just creates this really fun dynamic, especially with the points system.”
As McLaughlin-Levrone continues to redefine what’s possible in track and field, her Philadelphia outing proved she’s not just a hurdling queen but a multifaceted athlete capable of shining in any event she chooses. Fans eagerly await her next move as she prepares for the Los Angeles meet and potentially the 2025 World Championships, where she may decide between defending her 400m hurdles title or focusing on the flat 400m.
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