If you thought running 400m in under 51 seconds was hard, what about doing it while jumping over 10 barriers? Only two women in history have ever accomplished this feat: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the USA and Femke Bol of the Netherlands. These two haven’t raced head-to-head since 2022, but will battle it out for the Olympic title on Aug. 8.
McLaughlin-Levrone, reigning Olympic champion and 2022 world champion, returned to the hurdles this year after a knee injury forced her to sit out of her 2023 season. She didn’t let this hold her back; at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, she set a new world record of 50.65, smashing her previous record from 2022. Her time was so fast, it even obliterated the Olympic standard for the 400m event without hurdles.
Glasgow. Photo: Kevin Morris
Bol flourished in the American’s absence last year, claiming the world title in Budapest, Hungary. Last week in Switzerland, she ran under 51 seconds for the first time, setting a European record of 50.95. She followed that up with her second-fastest time ever, 51.30, at the London Diamond League–meaning she is the fittest she has ever been.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol have both gotten familiar with dominating the field in their event, running most races practically solo. The Paris dual will come down to which athlete will race their best race–handling the pressure, putting up a fight and responding to the competition.
Although we might not be able to predict the winner, one thing we can predict is that this race will be fast. Fans are looking past just a new world record; all eyes are on that 50-second barrier. The heats of the women’s 400m hurdles will begin on Aug. 4, with the semi-finals on Aug. 6 and the final scheduled for Aug. 8.
