Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone says she will run in 4x400m relay

Yesterday, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made Olympic history, becoming the first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the 400m hurdles. The former Kentucky track star also broke her own world record for the fifth time, finishing the race in 50.37 seconds. Because track and field holds its medal ceremonies a day later, Sydney just took the podium to accept her gold.

It probably won’t be Sydney’s last in Paris. In an interview with Mike Tirico last night, Sydney said she will run in the women’s 4x400m relay. She won gold with the 4x400m relay team in Tokyo three years ago, running the anchor leg. She has since trained in the 400m flat and ran the third fastest time in U.S. history (48.75 seconds) in June. She considered running both the 400m hurdles and 400m at the Olympics but ultimately decided against it to focus on her main event.

“I think we just wanted to stick with our bread and butter,” she told Tirico. “Nobody has ever doubled in this event coming back for the Olympics so this was an amazing opportunity for us but I do think the flat 400 has so much to teach hurdlers just in terms of how you attack the race and also helping with that flat speeds. They’re two very different races but I think they complement each other well.”

The United States advanced to the finals of the 4x400m relay this morning with a foursome of Aaliyah Butler, Quanera Hayes, Shamier Little, and Kaylyn Brown. Kendall Ellis and former Kentucky track star Alexis Holmes are also in the 4x400m relay pool but Holmes didn’t run with the team this morning since she competed in the 400m finals this afternoon. Sydney isn’t officially part of the relay pool but based on her comments to Tirico, she’s ready if Team USA asks her to run. The United States has won the event in the last seven Olympic games.

“Still got the relay in a couple of days so gonna go home and get rested up for that and hopefully we’ll try to add to the medal count again.”

We’ll find out for sure soon enough. The finals of the Women’s 4x400m relay is Saturday at 3:22 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock). Watch Sydney talk about her ongoing quest to break 50 seconds in the 400m hurdles, how yesterday was her first “true Olympic moment,” and her faith below. She also joined the TODAY Show this morning with her husband, former football player Andre Levrone Jr., who gushed about his wife’s historic performance.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sits down with Mike Tirico after becoming the first woman ever to multiple Olympic gold medals in the 400m hurdles. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/EPBK4WI6Bn

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024

“I’m incredibly proud of her, I can’t even put it into words.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's husband, Andre Levrone Jr., gushes over his wife after she broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles in #Paris2024!

Tune into the Paris Olympics on @nbc and @peacock! pic.twitter.com/CRJ8CGFDVw

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 9, 2024

Alexis Holmes finishes 6th in 400m

Another potential member of the 4x400m relay team ran a personal best today. Alexis Holmes (UK 2019-22) finished sixth in the 400m finals with a time of 49.77 seconds; that’s a hair under her previous best of 49.78, set at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials earlier this summer. She finished as the top American in the event. Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic won gold, setting a new Olympic record in 48.17 seconds.

WHOA. 😳

The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino just SHATTERED the women’s 400m Olympic record. #ParisOlympics

📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/WN9QQJ9bpF

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024

Cats in Paris Schedule

Tomorrow, five Track Cats could go for gold in Paris, as Masai Russell, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and Devynne Charlton square off in the 100m hurdles finals, and Holmes and McLaughlin-Levrone potentially run in the 4x400m relay. Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, and Team USA take on France in the Basketball Gold Medal Game shortly after that relay finishes up. On Sunday, Avery Skinner and the USA Volleyball team take on Italy in the gold medal match to wrap up Kentucky’s run in Paris.

Here is the complete schedule:

Saturday, August 10

• TRACK & FIELD — 1:45 PM: Women’s 100mH Final (Masai Russell, USA; Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Puerto Rico; Devynne Charlton, Bahamas); USA, Peacock
• TRACK & FIELD — 3:22 PM: Women’s 4x400m Relay Final (Alexis Holmes & Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA); NBC, Peacock
• MEN’S 5×5 BASKETBALL — 3:30 PM: United States (Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis) vs. France; Gold Medal Game; NBC, Peacock

Sunday, August 11

• WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL — 7:00 AM: United States (Avery Skinner) vs. Italy; Gold Medal Match; NBC, Peacock