Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone celebrated her 25th birthday in grand style by winning the gold medal in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, setting a new world record with a time of 50.37 seconds.
This victory marks the fifth time McLaughlin-Levrone has broken her own world record, making her the first woman to defend her Olympic title in this event since it was introduced at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
“Grateful to God for this opportunity, grateful to be celebrating my 25th birthday like this,” McLaughlin-Levrone said post-race. “It was yesterday, just a super opportunity, you can’t even imagine.”
Reflecting on her journey from her Olympic debut in Rio 2016 at just 17 years old to winning gold in an empty stadium at Tokyo 2020, she described the Paris Games as a completely new experience: “I think this was my first real Olympics, and I’m grateful for that in its fullness.”
From the starting gun, McLaughlin-Levrone dominated, quickly closing in on her biggest rival, the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, and establishing a significant lead with over 100 meters remaining. As she sprinted down the final stretch, the electrified crowd at the Stade de France knew they were witnessing a historic moment.
The U.S. superstar crossed the finish line with no competitors in sight, embodying both the pursuit of history and the achievement of another Olympic title.
“It’s amazing to see our sport continue to grow, for people to want to watch the 400m hurdles,” McLaughlin-Levrone added. “Just a lot of hard work put in this year. I knew it was going to be a tough race. An amazing competition all the way around.”
