PHILADELPHIA, PA – The world’s fastest woman over the 400m hurdles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, is stepping out of her comfort zone today at the Grand Slam Track event at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. At 4:18 PM EDT (8:18 PM GMT), the two-time Olympic champion and world record holder will compete in her first professional 100-meter race, a bold move that has track and field fans buzzing with anticipation. The event, part of Michael Johnson’s innovative Grand Slam Track series, is being broadcast live in the United States on Peacock and The CW, TNT Sports in the UK, Eurosport across most of Europe and Asia, SuperSport in Africa, and Rush Sports in the Caribbean.
### A New Challenge for a Track Legend
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a four-time Olympic medalist and the reigning 400m hurdles world record holder with a blistering 50.37 set at the Paris 2024 Olympics, is no stranger to dominating her signature event. She has not lost an individual 400m hurdles race since 2019 and has swept the long hurdles group (400m hurdles and 400m flat) at the first two Grand Slam Track events in Kingston, Jamaica, and Miami, Florida, earlier this year.
However, for the Philadelphia stop of the Grand Slam Track series, McLaughlin-Levrone has opted to compete in the short hurdles group, which includes the 100m hurdles and the 100m flat. This marks a significant departure from her usual events, showcasing her versatility and willingness to test herself against new challenges. On Saturday, May 31, she ran the 100m hurdles, finishing fifth with a time of 12.70 seconds in a stacked field featuring some of the world’s top hurdlers, including Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (12.44) and the USA’s Tia Jones (12.60).
Today’s 100m flat race is a historic moment for McLaughlin-Levrone, as it will be her first professional outing at this distance. While she clocked an impressive 11.07 seconds in the 100m as a freshman at the University of Kentucky in 2018, that performance was wind-aided (3.5 meters per second, exceeding the legal limit of 2.0). The world’s top women sprinters regularly break 11 seconds in wind-legal conditions, setting a high bar for McLaughlin-Levrone as she faces a field that includes Nugent, who has a wind-legal personal best of 11.09.
### Grand Slam Track: A New Era for Athletics
The Grand Slam Track series, founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, is revolutionizing track and field by prioritizing head-to-head competition over times. Athletes are divided into six event groups—short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100mH or 110mH/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400mH/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), and long distance (3000m/5000m). Each athlete competes in two races per event, with their combined finishing order determining the winner of a $100,000 prize, while even eighth-place finishers earn $10,000.
McLaughlin-Levrone is one of 48 “Racers” committed to all four Grand Slam events in 2025, which include stops in Kingston (April 4-6), Miami (May 2-4), Philadelphia (May 31-June 1), and Los Angeles (June 27-29). Her decision to switch to the short hurdles group in Philadelphia reflects her desire to push her limits. “I just want to show that I’m a well-rounded athlete,” she said in an interview with The Inquirer. “I love the 400, I love the 400 hurdles, but I also love the 100 hurdles, the [100 sprint], the [200 sprint].”
### A Star-Studded Field and a Historic Venue
The Philadelphia Slam at Franklin Field, a venue steeped in track and field history as the home of the Penn Relays, features an elite lineup of Olympians. Alongside McLaughlin-Levrone, three-time Paris 2024 gold medalist Gabby Thomas is competing in the short sprints, facing off against Olympic 100m bronze medalist Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. Other notable athletes include two-time Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek, Paris 1500m gold medalist Cole Hocker, and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, who set a facility record in the 100m hurdles on Saturday.
Franklin Field’s electric atmosphere, reminiscent of the Penn Relays, adds to the excitement. McLaughlin-Levrone, who grew up in northern New Jersey and competed at the Relays in high school, expressed her enthusiasm: “There’s so much history here at this track, at the stadium, and it’s really just an honor to get to run there.”
### How to Watch
Fans can catch McLaughlin-Levrone’s historic 100m race today at 4:18 PM EDT (8:18 PM GMT) live on multiple platforms:
- **United States**: Peacock (streaming) and The CW (broadcast TV)
- **United Kingdom**: TNT Sports
- **Europe and Asia**: Eurosport
- **Africa**: SuperSport
- **Caribbean**: Rush Sports
The event is also available on CBC in Canada, ESPN in Australia, TBS in Japan, and PCCW in China. Peacock, the exclusive U.S. streaming home for Grand Slam Track, will provide replays for those unable to watch live.
### What to Expect
McLaughlin-Levrone’s foray into the 100m is a test of her sprinting prowess against some of the fastest women in the world. While her 100m hurdles performance on Saturday showed she can hold her own in a competitive field, the flat 100m presents a different challenge, requiring explosive speed and refined sprint mechanics. Her preparation has focused on sprint mechanics and block starts, which she believes will benefit her overall athletic development, even in her primary 400m hurdles event.
Posts on X reflect the excitement surrounding her 100m debut, with fans noting her unbeaten streak at Franklin Field and her ability to thrive under pressure. One user highlighted that this short hurdles group represents her most competitive series in two seasons.
### Looking Ahead
As the third of four Grand Slam Track events in 2025, Philadelphia is a pivotal moment for McLaughlin-Levrone, who leads the season-long leaderboard with 48 points, followed closely by Jefferson-Wooden with 42. A strong performance in the 100m could solidify her position as the “Racer of the Year” and further cement her status as one of track and field’s brightest stars.
After Philadelphia, McLaughlin-Levrone and the Grand Slam Track circuit will head to Los Angeles for the final Slam from June 27-29, where she has hinted at possibly competing in the 200m and 400m. With the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo looming in September, her experiments in shorter distances could shape her strategy for the global stage.
For now, all eyes are on Franklin Field as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sprints into uncharted territory, ready to make history once again. Tune in at 4:18 PM EDT to witness this electrifying moment in track and field.
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