There are gold medallists. There are greats. Then there are those select few GOATs.
The greatest of all time in their chosen event come around only sparingly but, in Paris this week, athletics has showcased a 25-year-old talent in the tradition of Usain Bolt, Wilma Rudolph, Ed Moses and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has redefined one event. She was the first woman under 52 seconds for the 400 metres hurdles.
Five world records later, McLaughlin-Levrone is now eyeing the possibility of becoming the first to break 50 seconds. “I would love to – I don’t know if that’s this year, I don’t know if that’s next year,” said McLaughlin-Levrone, who ran a world record 50.37sec to on Thursday night.
But there was also an even more striking admission when we spoke about what might follow Paris. No athlete has gone close to the 47.60sec it took the East German Marita Koch to run 400m flat almost 40 years ago but, in what is not her main event, McLaughlin-Levrone has already set tongues wagging with a time of 48.
75, which was this year’s world lead until Nickisha Pryce’s 48.57 in London recently. She also does not accept the suggestion this particular record – achieved during a notorious era of state-sponsored East German doping (Koch herself has always denied cheating) – represents an impossible goal.
“It’s a wonderful challenge,” says McLaughlin-Levrone. “I love trying to figure out new events – and see how you put a race like that togethe.