Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone talks about doing different events and addresses the criticism that she doesn't push herself

Was Edwin Moses ever criticized for "not pushing himself?"

The 300m / 400m Hurdle events are odd cousins to the 800. I think she would be a 1:57 type within her first season, possibly down in that 1:54-55 range by second season.

She has outstanding long sprint range, excellent at 200m and probably would break 22 in championships, great at 400, though we see it mostly in relays, and with the 400H strength that is unprecedented, she would be one of those 400h/800 types like Danny Everett and Harald Schmid.

She needs to do the 10k

Sydney and her event choices is an interesting topic. And I think some of the criticism is unfounded. I can understand why she stayed locked in on the hurdles-only through 2021 because that was the first year she won a global title. It would have been fun to see her try the 400/400H double at the 2022 Worlds, but she stayed in the hurdles only and delivered a performance that redefined what was possible in her event with her 50.68 WR. That remains one of the most incredible races I've ever seen.

Then she switched to the 400 in 2023 and got injured. That's bad luck. Her withdrawal from Worlds was a bit weird though, because her camp framed it as a "minor issue" with her knee. "Minor" issues don't usually keep athletes out of Worlds, so either this was a minor issue at the exact wrong time or they didn't want to risk competing and have a minor issue turn into a major one ahead of the Olympic year.

I also have no issue with the events SML has chosen in GST. She banks some prize money in the first two meets, challenges herself in the last two when she's a bit fitter. It would have been great to see SML in the long sprint 400 in Kingston, but I put more of the blame on the GST format than SML. She's certainly challenging herself with the 100/100H in Philly and the 200/400 in LA.

Where the criticism is valid is with her 2024 Olympic choice (and perhaps 2025 if she chooses to stick with the hurdles only in Tokyo). Now there is a big caveat here in that it is HER career and HER life. She's only going to be at this level for a short time in her life, and I can't tell her what to value. Clearly, breaking the 50-second barrier in the 400 hurdles is important to Sydney, and it would be a monumental achievement. She is challenging herself, but it's by racing against the clock.

But as a fan of the sport, would I rather see SML crush everyone year after year in the hurdles with the eventual goal of breaking 50 or try to do something that no one has ever done and sweep the 400/400H in a global championship? It's obviously the latter.

Doubtful. Likewise, Warholm didn't get that criticism when he was winning consecutive golds. Looking at dominant athletes in other events, I don't see people telling Mondo to do the high jump, Crouser to throw the javelin, or Mahuchikh to do the long jump. Sydney is the only athlete who people say isn't pushing herself by sticking to her best event. It's bizarre.

LOL. I'm not sure that would be pushing herself enough for her critics. She needs to do a field event too. Let's see Sydney take on Valarie Allman in the discus!

But these aren't the same scenarios. The field eventers are straw men because they can't switch to another event and be at close to the same level. Plus Crouser and Mahuchikh occasionally lose.

Warholm won three straight golds in '17, '19, and '21, but he has actual rivals in his event in dos Santos and Benjamin. He wasn't crushing these guys like SML has crushed Bol. Plus, comparatively, he's not as good in the flat 400 as Sydney.

Not only is SML way better than the #2 in her event, but she has also already shown herself to be a 48-second 400m runner who would be a legit contender for gold in that event.

Thanks for chiming in! Re: not attempting the 400/400H double in Paris, we need to remember the schedule wasn't conducive to it.

Here is what attempting the 400/400H double would have required of Sydney:

• August 4: 400h heat
• August 5: 400 heat
• August 6: 400h semi
• August 7: 400 semi
• August 8: 400h final
• August 9: 400 final

That would have been six consecutive days of racing one of the most physically demanding events in the sport. It would have been foolish to attempt such a crazy double because she would have been compromised for both finals.

I could see going for the double if the heats of the 400 started after the 400H final, which is how it is for people attempting the 100/200 double or the track distance doubles. That's not how it was for the 400/400H.

Right, but that's kind of the point, isn't it? The schedule is rarely going to be perfect for these doubles, which is what makes them so hard. The schedule certainly wasn't perfect for Hassan in Tokyo or Paris, but she went for her triples anyway.

That said, if SML is serious about doubling at LA28, her camp needs to reach out to World Athletics ahead of time and maybe they'll try to make the schedule more conducive. But between the mixed 4x400 at the start and regular 4x400 at the end, WA may still keep both the 400 hurdles and 400 flat around the middle of the meet as in Paris.

Yes, but even in Hassan's triples, she had days off. She didn't have to race six consecutive days like Sydney would have had to do for the 400/400H double. Plus Hassan was content with not winning all her events. I think she even said something to the effect that she wasn't expecting to win all of them. With Sydney, anything less than gold would have been seen as a huge disappointment.

Also factor in the highly technical nature of the hurdles. Switching back and forth between the 400H and the 400 could have thrown Sydney off her rhythm for her steps and stride pattern in the hurdles. It's not the same as just running flat events.

Moreover, I think Sydney needed to show respect to Bol as a legitimate threat in the hurdles. We know in retrospect it wasn't a close race in Paris, but Sydney had no way of knowing it would turn out to be such a blowout. Remember, Bol had run 50.95 in mid-July. Sure, it was at altitude, but still, it was a dynamite performance. There was good reason to think Bol was primed to run even faster in Paris, requiring Sydney to be at her best to beat her.

I agree about reaching out to WA to inquire about making the double more conducive. They did it for Michael Johnson in 1996, so there's precedent for it.

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Why should sydney change her focus just to satisfy what 'fans' want? She already said 400mH 'is my baby' and eye for a hat trick golds at LA 28. I think it's better for 'fans' stop whining and appreciate her greatness on the hurdles just like they appreciate Edwin Moses.

Also I have a very serious question, do 'fans of this sport' ask Mondo stop pole vault to run pro 100m or Holloway quitting 110mH to do 400mH because they are too dominant at their events? If no one cares their dominance, why would they always pick up Sydney to criticize? Such double standard is disgusting and unacceptable.

I think you are missing the context entirely. Many are calling SML the greatest female athlete of this generation, for dominating what is honestly a B-grade event. No one thinks Warholm, Mondo, Mahuchic or Crouser is anything remotely close to being that, they are just very good at their craft. Likewise the same should apply to SML, world class at her craft, end of story. Anything else, will lead to calls for her to prove herself.

And she ran a 50.3 for the 400H.... a 47.7 relay split.... a 22.09 200.... all of that is somehow not "pushing" herself... OK so I suppose she hasn't yet clocked that 1:55 800 that would resolve your concern...

Not a fan of hers at all. I’m supposed to be impressed/excited to see her run a 100???

If the 400/400h double wasn’t possible how about running the mixed 4x4 relay?

Bobby kersee coaching her and athing is such a shame

Only you and your letsrun.com friends would think 400mH is a 'B-grade' event. At least WA doesn't think so. Her WR 50.37 ranked highest among any female track WRs in WA's scroe system. And that's one of the reasons why normal people would think she's the greatest of her generation and maybe also in history when she retired.

I have a thought about SML but will keep it to myself so as not to violate Forum rules.