Track & Field

When to watch Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vie for title defense in 400m hurdles final

New Jersey's Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is competing in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics. Thursday's final happens to fall the day after her 25th birthday

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After sailing through her first two races at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone hopes to wish herself a happy belated birthday when she aims to defend her title in the women's 400m hurdles final on Thursday.

McLaughlin-Levrone, who turned 25 a day ago, is one of the favorites for the podium - along with Femke Bol, the Paris gold medalist in 4×400m mixed relay from the Netherlands, and Jamaica's Rushell Clayton. Americans Jasmine Jones and Anna Cockrell also have a shot at the medal after all of them got through the semifinal.

Looking to defend her Tokyo gold medal and world record, the New Jersey native, McLaughlin-Levrone earlier cruised through her second women's 400m hurdles race, appearing to not put in 100% of her effort. Still, she had the fastest time (52.13) out of everyone who qualified for the final.

EUGENE, OREGON - JUNE 30: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reacts after setting a new world record in the women's 400 meter hurdles final on Day Ten of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 30, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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EUGENE, OREGON - JUNE 30: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reacts after setting a new world record in the women's 400 meter hurdles final on Day Ten of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 30, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The two-time gold medalist is also expected to defend her medal in the women's 4x400m relay as well.

McLaughlin-Levrone keeps pushing herself and the competition to new heights. At the Olympic Trials in Oregon in June, she set a new world record of 50.65 seconds in the women's 400m hurdles, her premiere event.

She first made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016 at the age of 17, the youngest U.S. Olympian in track and field since 1972. She lost in the semifinals that year.

She was voted the 2022 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year. Here are 7 things to know about her.

Sydney McLaughlin's Olympics schedule 2024

EventDayTimeHow to Watch
Women's 400m hurdles finalThursday, Aug. 83:25 p.m. ET/12:25 a.m. PTPeacock, NBCOlympics.com
Women's 4x400m relay round 1Friday, Aug. 94:40 a.m. ET/1:40 a.m. PTPeacock, NBCOlympics.com
Women's 4x400m relay finalSaturday, Aug. 103:14 p.m. ET/12:14 p.m.Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
Team USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has broken the world record in 400-meter hurdles five times in her athletic career – but years ago, she got her start racing the boys at recess and practicing getting off the blocks with her 4th grade teacher, Mr. Tennant: “He always had his bets on me.”
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