Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on the tactical decision to run with long pants in 400m Brussels win

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, fresh off her Paris 2024 triumphs, opened up about her choice to wear long pants during her first 400m race since the Olympics. 

The 25-year-old stormed to victory at a pre-competition special event in Brussels, clocking 49.11 seconds. Despite the comfortable win, McLaughlin-Levrone revealed that the challenge of returning to the 400m after focusing on the hurdles left her feeling a bit "unsharp."

“Running the 400m at the end of the season definitely hurts a little bit more, and I felt the cramping,” she explained post-race. “That’s why I chose to run with long pants, just to be safe. But I felt strong during the race.”

Having won two gold medals in Paris—one in the 400m hurdles in a world-record time and the other in the 4x400m relay—McLaughlin-Levrone’s return to individual racing sparked conversations, especially since she hadn’t competed in more events since the Olympics.

Her appearance in the Brussels Diamond League event was met with mixed reactions, but McLaughlin-Levrone remained uncertain about future plans, including whether she would compete in the 200m. "Now we're gonna go home, rest a bit, and decide tomorrow to run the 200m or not," she said.

Known for her penchant for setting records, McLaughlin-Levrone acknowledged that the weather in Brussels wasn't ideal for a faster time but expressed satisfaction with her performance.

 “My goal is to improve my personal records. I started my season this spring in the 200m and 400m, and now I would like to finish with them as well, assess where I stand at those distances now, after having focused a whole year on the 400m hurdles,” she shared in an interview with Athletics Weekly.

Although she aimed for a quicker time, McLaughlin-Levrone relished the opportunity to race in Europe. 

“I was hoping for a little bit faster, but I think the weather definitely wasn’t on my side today. I’m just happy to be here and get the experience racing in Europe. It’s an amazing crowd. I’m just having some fun."

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