Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the Olympic trials, finishing with 50.65 seconds, 0.03 seconds faster than her previous record.
She bested her closest competitor, Anna Cockrell, by a full 1.99 seconds.
“I’m definitely a little surprised it happened, but I’m still grateful,” McLaughlin-Levrone told reporters, per the Olympic Games. “I knew I was in 50.5 range, (but) it was just a matter of getting that stride pattern. ... I wasn’t expecting that time. It’s super encouraging, knowing that more is there.”
The race took place at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, where McLaughlin-Levrone has set four of her five world records.
She started strong from the first hurdle and widened the gap by a considerable distance in the final stretch. After crossing the finish line, she appeared to not have even broken a sweat, covering her mouth in shock at her accomplishment.
Initially recorded at 50.67 seconds, her time was quickly corrected to 50.65 after review.
“Honestly, praise God,” she said after the race. “I was not expecting that, but he can do anything. Anything is possible in Christ. So I’m just amazed, baffled, and in shock.”
McLaughlin-Levrone has been overcoming barriers in the 400-meter hurdles, first by breaking the 52-second barrier, then the 51-second mark with her previous records.
As she prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics, fans are eager to see her compete against Dutch rival Femke Bol, who recently clocked 52.49 seconds at the European Championships, according to the Olympic Games.
However, what people are truly anticipating is whether McLaughlin-Levrone can break the 50-second barrier.
“I would love to dip under 50 at some point,” McLaughlin-Levrone said, per CNN. “I don’t know if that’s this year or if that’s next year. Just always chipping away, seeing what’s possible and continuing to improve the race.”