Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs Femke Bol: Comparing 400m hurdles personal best progression ahead of Paris Olympics 2024

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol are two of the strongest contenders for gold in the 400m hurdles event at the Paris Olympics. Up until a handful of days ago, the American was in her own league as the only woman to have breached the 51-second mark, doing so at the US Olympic trials.

However, Bol produced a stellar performance at the La Chaux-De-Fonds, as she clocked 50.95 seconds. On that note, let's take a look at how the two hurdlers have grown over time.

According to her World Athletics' profile, McLaughlin-Levrone started running the 400m hurdles competitively in 2014, while her Dutch competitor made her debut in the discipline in 2019.

Upon her debut in 2014, as a 14-year-old, the American’s personal best was a 55.63, which she would lower to a 55.28 the next season.

The American continued to chip away at her time in the next few years, breaching a new barrier every year as she clocked a 54.15 in 2016, a 53.82 in 2017, and a 52.75 in 2018.

By the time 2019 rolled around, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was one of the fastest 400m hurdlers in the world, clocking a personal best of 52.23 seconds that season. 2019 also saw the American win a World Championships silver in the event, while also being crowned the Diamond League Champion.

Meanwhile, for Femke Bol, her 400mH journey began in 2019, with a personal best of 55.32. The sprinter quickly improved in the coming year, clocking a 53.79 during 2020, while McLaughlin-Levrone didn't race due to Covid 19.

In 2021, both the American and the Dutchwoman rapidly improved their own personal bests in the same race. Running at the Tokyo Olympic finals, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone clocked a world record of 51.46 to win, while Bol came agonizingly close to breaching the 52 second mark with her time of 52.02 that won her bronze.

In 2022, the Tokyo champion was in a league of her own, setting two world records, first a 51.41 at the USA Championships, and then a 50.68 at the World Championships. Bol’s personal best for that season was a 52.27. McLaughlin-Levrone didn't compete in 2023, while Bol used the season to duck under the 52 second barrier with a 51.45.

In 2024, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made a dominant comeback to the track, clocking a new world record of 50.65 at the USATF Olympic Trials. Bol retaliated with a 50.95 of her own, which made her only the second woman to run the race in under 51 seconds.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs Femke Bol: Flat 400m comparison between the two athletes

Outside of their rivalry in the 400m hurdles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the faster athlete of the flat 400m as well. The American’s personal best in the event is a 48.74 that she clocked to win the US World Championships Trials in 2023.

Interestingly enough, the 24-year-old’s 400m hurdles world record time of 50.65 was actually fast enough to qualify her for the Paris Olympics in the flat 400m.

On the other hand, Bol’s personal best in the 400m flat is a 49.17 she ran at the Glasgow World Indoor Championships earlier this year in March. This time set a new world indoor record, but isn't quite as fast as McLaughlin-Levrone’s outing in the event.