Hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, is the best all-around athlete in the world. However, the number one star of the sport competes sadly little, writes Urheilu’s Joel Sippola.
Joel Sippola sports reporter
The best track and field athlete in the world.
Of course, there is no absolute truth. Pole vaulter of Armand Duplantis is spoken of in many contexts as the best all-around athlete in the world.
The 24-year-old Swede, who has bent the ME result no less than eight times, moves in his own spheres. He lives in his mystical bubble. Does the maximum potential go away in the 630? Or even in 640? This kind of speculation interests people.
Belonging to Duplantis in the same age group as those born in 1999 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone however, in the Olympic qualifiers that culminated in the United States last weekend, he once again hit the counter with such a display that he cannot be ignored when talking about the world’s best all-around athlete.
No one expected a world record at this stage of the season, but that’s just how the American monster pushed in the women’s 400-meter hurdles for her fifth ME time. This time with a time of 50.65. Paris is about to get even wilder.
Many still don’t realize how good McLaughlin-Levrone, who is chasing a second Olympic gold in a row, is. On the other hand, there is a big source of annoyance associated with the young woman, which does not serve the fans.
The most interesting
Among runners, McLaughlin-Levrone has been in a class of his own in the 21st century. He has the most world records from this period, including sprinters and endurance runners, in one sport, five.
For example, the long-term number one attraction in athletics Usain Bolt won the ME three times in the 100 meters and twice in the 200 meters. In London, with his soaring solo 800 meter ME 1.40.91, he stunned Kenya David Rudisha set the world record in that sport three times.
Although Duplantis has set by far the most world records in recent years and is otherwise completely superior, as a pole vaulter he does not enjoy the same attention as runners of the same level.
Especially sprinting superstars are the most interesting figures in athletics worldwide. A perfect example of this is an athletics legend by Michael Johnson developed a new athletics competition series.
The concept, which will start next year, is intended only for runners. Field athletes have nothing to do with it. It is telling that Johnson’s first sports attachment was McLaughlin-Levrone.
51.90 Eugene (2021)
51.46, Tokyo (2021)
51.41, Eugene (2022)
50.68, Eugene (2022)
50.65, Eugene (2024)
Imaginations
Sprinting is the cornerstone of athletics. Being the best and most interesting individual in this sport group, it is not wrong to talk about McLaughlin-Levrone as the best all-around athlete in the world.
He evokes images similar to Duplantis. Will he be able to break the shocking 50-second mark in the 400-meter hurdles? It’s a ride with which you can sometimes hit the golden speed even without fences.
Will the upper ceiling go? Marita Koch’s In breaking the GDR-era 400m smooth ME (47.60)? Or is he aiming to win both personal distances in some games? A total of six laps of the track would be exciting. Is physics enough for such a game?
We have a top individual on hand, whose future can be appropriately played with, perhaps, some kind of imagination play. A similar mood was with Bolt when he was taken to the long stand or a lap of the track.
Let’s get off to a good start by talking about playing for Manchester United’s Premier League team.
Own style
Duplantis and McLaughlin-Levrone, who are the same age, have followed a similar path from teenage star and youth ME athlete to overwhelming title winner and adult ME athlete. Both were once the advertising faces of Tampere.
Read more: Sydney McLaughlin, 22, grew from an advertising face in Tampere to a superstar breaking world records
In terms of interest value, McLaughlin-Levrone’s potential has been bigger all the time. Already in 2019, he was the top-earning all-around athlete, even though he hadn’t done anything amazing at the adult competition level. At that time, however, he skillfully utilized social media.
Now the woman is no longer extroverted. It can be seen, for example, as very frugal competition.
Outside of the United States, he has competed for the last time since his World Championship gold in August 2022 in Hungary. The last time a woman was seen on the line in the Diamond League, the first competition series of the International Athletics Federation, was almost five years ago.
He competes thoughtfully, only thinking about prestigious competitions, which upsets the athletics crowd on social media and discussion forums.
More muted main performers
Athletics fans would love to see McLaughlin-Levrone and the speedy Dutchman Femke Bolin encounters other than just in value competitions.
McLaughlin-Levrone is coached by a well-known coaching guru Bob Kersee. Also another one of his top coaches Athing Mu competes extremely little.
In social media, the detractors are no longer very surprised if the 800-meter Olympic champion is not even seen in the race for which he has been planned. Mu qualified for the Paris Olympics after collapsing in the finals of the USA Olympic qualifiers.
We want the brightest names in athletics to be more available. In many other sports, the main performers are on stage because of this.
On the other hand, if the alternative is that McLaughlin-Levrone gets the best out of certain races, let him have a different approach. If we can only enjoy him in value races, it will be worth it.
It’s about such an extraordinary individual.