Aug 6, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) competes in a women’s 400m hurdles semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: OLY-891924 ORIG FILE ID: 20240806_jcd_usa_4337.JPG
American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has become the standard for the 400m hurdles, holding the world record in the event with a remarkable 50.65 time. She's the presumptive favorite to win the gold medal in Paris on Thursday, and her performance in the semi-finals only solidified that as she ran the fastest time of the field with a 52.13.
MORE: 1 incredible stat shows just how dominant Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is in the 400m hurdles
McLaughlin-Levrone will have a solid challenge from Dutch runner Femke Bol -- who stunned the American 4x400 relay team with a come-from-behind anchor leg to win her team gold -- but the New Jersey native has been so utterly consistent.
Her semi-final performance is impressive to read about, but the pictures from her heat show just how dominant she was.
1. PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States competes during the Women's 400m Hurdles Semi-Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165577159
2. PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States competes during the Women's 400m Hurdles Semi-Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165577068
3. Aug 6, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) competes in a women’s 400m hurdles semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: OLY-891924 ORIG FILE ID: 20240806_jcd_usa_4337.JPG
4. PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States competes during the Women's 400m Hurdles Semi-Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165577504
5. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the US (Far L) won the women's 400m hurdles semi-final 2 of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 6, 2024. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP) (Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165087564
6. PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States (2nd L) competes during the Women's 400m Hurdles Semi-Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165577514
7. US' Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone runs ahead of Belgium's Hanne Claes, Portugal's Fatoumata Binta Diallo, Jamaica's Janieve Russell and South Africa's Rogail Joseph in the women's 400m hurdles semi-final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 6, 2024. (Photo by Martin BERNETTI / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165082489
8. Aug 6, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) wins a women’s 400m hurdles semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: OLY-891924 ORIG FILE ID: 20240806_jcd_pb5_4339.JPG
9. US' Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone crosses the finish line in the women's 400m hurdles semi-final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 6, 2024. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776138764 ORIG FILE ID: 2165082658
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 9 photos that show just how dominant Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was in the Olympic 400m hurdle semi-final