Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t just run the 400m this year—she redefined it. On Sunday night at the glittering World Athletics Awards in Monaco’s Théâtre Princesse Grace, the 26-year-old American hurdler and sprinter was crowned Female Track Athlete of the Year for the second straight season, a feat that cements her status as the undisputed GOAT of the gates.
Beating out fierce finalists like Dutch powerhouse Femke Bol, Kenyan distance queens Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet, and Saint Lucia’s sprint sensation Julien Alfred, McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2025 was a masterclass in dominance. Her crowning achievement? A blistering 47.78 at the Tokyo World Championships— the fastest 400m by a woman in over 40 years—snatching gold in the individual event and anchoring the U.S. to another 4x400m relay victory, both times setting championship records. That Tokyo double alone echoed her Paris 2024 Olympic heroics, where she defended her 400m hurdles title and shattered her own world record twice, first at 50.65 during U.S. Trials and then a jaw-dropping 50.37 in the final.
“This year was about pushing boundaries I didn’t even know existed,” McLaughlin-Levrone said in her acceptance speech, her voice steady but eyes alight with the fire that’s fueled six straight world-record performances in major championships. “From hurdles to the flat, every race felt like a conversation with the track—grueling, but freeing.” Dressed in a sleek black gown that mirrored her streamlined form, she raised the trophy to a standing ovation, flanked by husband Andre Levrone Jr. and a who’s-who of track royalty, including Michael Johnson, who later posted on X: “World records, golds, and absolute ownership. The blueprint for greatness.”
The numbers tell a story of surgical precision: unbeaten in every individual final she entered, from U.S. nationals to Diamond League clashes; world-leading times across the 200m, 400m flat, and hurdles; and a seamless pivot to the open 400m that left rivals like Bol—who took hurdles gold in Tokyo—chasing shadows. Her Tokyo 400m mark not only revived a dormant event but positioned her as the first woman since Marita Koch in 1985 to dip under 48 seconds, a barrier long thought unbreakable. Add in her relay heroics, where she split a sub-48 anchor leg, and it’s no wonder World Athletics called her season “a quantum leap for the sport.”
This back-to-back honor—following her 2024 win for that Olympic demolition—marks McLaughlin-Levrone as the first track athlete to repeat since Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2019. It also quells any whispers of a post-Paris dip, especially after she skipped much of the mid-season Diamond League to train with Johnson’s nascent Grand Slam Track league, where she debuted with a windy 50.32 in the flat 400m back in April. “Sydney’s not just fast; she’s rewriting physics,” Johnson quipped on the red carpet. “I’ve seen legends, but this? This is eternal.”
Not everyone was thrilled with the shortlist—Kenyan fans erupted online when Kipyegon (world-record holder in the 1500m) and Chebet (double Worlds gold in the 5K/10K) were snubbed as finalists, sparking debates on distance vs. sprint bias. But McLaughlin-Levrone’s response? Grace under fire, as always. In a post-ceremony X thread, she shared: “Grateful beyond words. To the women who push me—Femke, Faith, Bea—you make this chase worth it. 🐐” The post, echoing fan chants of #GOATStatus, racked up 50K likes in hours.
As 2026 looms with Worlds in Beijing and her eyes on a hurdles-flat double, McLaughlin-Levrone hinted at bigger dreams: “The records are just markers. Faith keeps me grounded; the track keeps me flying.” Fresh off a quick Hawaiian recharge—snaps of lei garlands and sunset sprints already viral—she’s signed on for Johnson’s 2026 Grand Slam slate, promising more barrier-busting runs.
In a year of records shattered and legacies etched, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t win an award. She claimed her throne—again. Track and field’s queen is reigning supreme, and the world is breathless for what’s next. 🔥🇺🇸
