Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone needed just one season in the 400m flat to turn an established order on its head. And she did it with ease. The American stepped away from her signature hurdles this season. And in just a matter of a few months, she managed to pull off a 47.78 seconds, leaving Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser scrambling in her wake. Paulino dipped under 48 seconds herself, the first time two women had ever done so in the same race, yet the Olympic champion still could not close the gap. A clear statement that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone knows her caliber and can unsettle even the event’s strongest incumbents.

After the race, however, the rivalry shifted from the stopwatch to words. Paulino remarked, “I’m very proud of myself. I feel like I won because I’ve been preparing

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