Femke Bol’s open admiration for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, despite being an accomplished double world champion herself, reveals both the magnitude of McLaughlin-Levrone’s talent and the humility of an elite competitor who knows when she is witnessing greatness. To understand why Bol so freely calls McLaughlin-Levrone the “very best ever,” one must look at both the American hurdler’s accomplishments and the respect they command within the sport.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has redefined what is possible in the 400m hurdles. Her series of world records, culminating in the jaw-dropping 50.68 seconds at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, represents a leap forward of unprecedented scale. For context, before McLaughlin-Levrone’s rise, the women’s 400m hurdles world record had been lowered only fractionally across decades. She shattered those incremental barriers, running times previously considered unattainable even with ideal conditions. To dip under 51 seconds in a race combining sprint endurance and technical hurdling skill is almost unthinkable, yet she has done it — and with visible ease.
Bol, who herself has pushed the event forward with her own European records and global medals, understands better than most what those performances mean. She has trained for years to shave hundredths of a second off her times, and she recognizes how extraordinary it is to obliterate barriers by half-seconds or more, as McLaughlin-Levrone has done. Bol’s admiration is thus rooted in the technical and physical mastery on display: the flawless rhythm between hurdles, the ability to maintain top speed while clearing barriers, and the mental composure to execute under immense pressure.
But McLaughlin-Levrone’s brilliance extends beyond the hurdles. She has also excelled in flat 400m races, where her strength and smooth stride make her a threat to established specialists. Her versatility across disciplines suggests she is not just the best in her event but potentially one of the greatest track athletes in history. This dual ability adds to the aura that compels rivals like Bol to acknowledge her as the benchmark of excellence.
Another factor behind Bol’s praise is sportsmanship. Track and field, though fiercely competitive, is also a sport where athletes deeply respect one another’s achievements. Bol’s own career is decorated — world indoor records, European dominance, and a global championship double in 2023 — yet she does not shy away from acknowledging that McLaughlin-Levrone has raised the bar for everyone. Rather than diminishing Bol’s own standing, her open recognition elevates both athletes, highlighting the era-defining rivalry and mutual respect that make athletics compelling.
In short, Bol calls McLaughlin-Levrone the “very best ever” because she has seen history unfold from the inside lane. She understands the physical brilliance, the technical precision, and the psychological strength required to dominate an event — and she knows McLaughlin-Levrone has taken all of those to a level never seen before. For an athlete of Bol’s caliber to say so only underscores the legitimacy of that claim.