The women’s 400m hurdles is hurtling toward one of its most anticipated chapters yet, a high-stakes rivalry between the indomitable Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and the unrelenting Femke Bol.
And if early-season form is anything to go by, the battle lines for 2025 are already drawn.
A Queen Making Statements
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t tiptoe into the season, she detonated onto the track. By early May, the American superstar had already unleashed a jaw-dropping 52.07 in the 400m hurdles and a blistering 49.69 in the flat 400m. These were tone-setters, the kind of performances that remind the world who sits atop this event’s throne.
While others eased into the season, Sydney was sending shockwaves, and yet, one name had been conspicuously absent from individual competition, Femke Bol.
A Challenger Reigniting the Fire
The silence didn’t last long. At the Rabat Diamond League, Bol reintroduced herself with authority. Running her first solo race since September, the Dutch star clocked a commanding 52.46 in the 400m hurdles, the second-fastest time in the world this year, trailing only McLaughlin-Levrone’s searing season opener.
Bol wasn’t easing back into racing. She was announcing herself, shattering the Rabat meet record and setting the tone ahead of her homecoming at the FBK Games in Hengelo.
On Instagram story, Bol kept it simple but thrilling.
“See you Monday 😍”. A quiet confidence from an athlete who knows she’s inching closer to track royalty.
A Rivalry Brewing
As both athletes ramp up their seasons, the question on everyone’s mind, when will they meet?
The last time these two titans faced off individually was at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a race for the ages. Sydney obliterated her own world record with a surreal 50.37. Bol, leading much of that race, had to settle for bronze, as Anna Cockrell surged for silver.
But Bol’s resume isn’t one to dismiss. She holds the European record at 50.95, the only woman aside from McLaughlin-Levrone to break 51 seconds. And with 25 Diamond League victories under her belt, she’s already a track legend in her own right.
Unpredictable Moves and Rising Stakes
What makes this year even more compelling is how both athletes are playing their cards.
Sydney’s early-season dominance was expected. Her recent decision to experiment in the 100m hurdles adds an unexpected twist. While fans anticipate her inevitable return to the 400m hurdles, she’s fine-tuning her raw speed, a terrifying prospect for rivals.
Meanwhile, Bol is stacking victories and refining her form. After opting out of individual indoor events this winter, she returned refreshed, focused, and hungry.
“I enjoyed the tough trainings. I enjoyed not having the stress that I usually put on myself when I’m competing,” Bol admitted to Citius MAG.
Now, with her rhythm restored and confidence soaring, she’s gunning for a fifth straight Diamond League crown and another global medal.
Tokyo 2025
All roads point to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo this September. It’s shaping up as the stage for what could be the most electrifying clash of the year, if not the entire athletics season.
Will Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone maintain her unshakable grip on the 400m hurdles throne? Or is this the year Femke Bol finally topples the queen?
This rivalry isn’t cooling down. It’s getting hotter by the week.
