Inside the Mind of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: The Relentless Drive of a Champion
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is no stranger to the spotlight — or to the pressure that comes with it. At just 25, she has already cemented herself as one of the most dominant figures in global track and field. With four Olympic gold medals to her name — two in the 400m hurdles and two more as part of the 4x400m relay — McLaughlin-Levrone stands atop the sport. But her path to greatness hasn’t been without struggle.
When asked what the night before an Olympic race feels like, McLaughlin-Levrone doesn’t hesitate. “It’s very broken-up sleep,” she says with a knowing smile. “For really big races, it’s like my body is a race car revving up — just ready to go.” That restless anticipation fuels the athlete within her. And when race day comes, her competitors know what that usually means: dominance.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s track record is jaw-dropping. Since 2019, she has won 12 consecutive 400m hurdles finals. In that same time, she’s rewritten the world record in the event six times. The record had only been lowered by 1.42 seconds between 1984 and 2019 — she alone shaved off 1.79 seconds between 2021 and 2024. Her gold-medal performance at the Paris Olympics made her the first American to defend an individual Olympic track title since Michael Johnson in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
However, her success belies the internal battles she has faced. In an insightful interview with The Athletic, McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about the anxiety that once plagued her before big races, even causing her to be physically ill. It was only through faith and introspection that she began to see herself beyond her results on the track. Learning that her value wasn’t tethered solely to victory was transformative.
With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, McLaughlin-Levrone stands as the premier U.S. female track athlete of her generation. On social media, only Sha’Carri Richardson rivals her influence among American track stars. But despite the accolades and records, she remains focused on growth.
“There’s always something I can improve,” she says. “There are days when motivation dips, when things feel monotonous. But I get to do what I love — and I get to race the clock.” That hunger for self-betterment, even at the peak of her career, reveals what truly sets her apart: not just speed, but an unstoppable mindset.