Even the most dominant athletes in the world face moments of uncertainty, fear, and doubt. For Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, one of those defining moments came early in her career—at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. It was a time when the pressure seemed too overwhelming, and walking away felt easier than walking onto the track. But it was her father’s calm wisdom that changed everything.
Sydney, now a global icon and one of the most decorated sprinters in modern track and field, opened up about this vulnerable moment in her powerful memoir, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, released in January 2024. Within the pages of her book, she shared how she almost quit moments before one of the biggest races of her early career—the 400m hurdles quarterfinals at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Back then, she was still a teenager, stepping into a world of professional track and field against seasoned veterans. The pressure, the expectations, and the magnitude of the moment bore down on her in ways few could imagine. Just before the race, she turned to her father, Willie McLaughlin, overwhelmed with emotion and uncertainty.
“Can I please pull out of this race?” she pleaded. “I don’t want to run,” she told him, with tears streaming down her face. “I promise I’ll try again in four years.”
But instead of letting his daughter crumble under the weight of the moment, Willie responded with the poise of a father who knew his child’s potential—and the bigger picture. “You’re already there, Syd,” he said gently. “Just make it through this round, and we’ll talk about it. Everyone is here to see you run. Get the experience. It’s the first round of three; there’s no pressure on you.”
Those words changed everything. Simple, reassuring, and focused on the present. For Sydney, they became a lifeline. Her father didn’t demand a championship performance. He didn’t push her beyond her limits. He simply asked her to take the first step—just one round—and reassess from there.
Sydney not only ran that race, but she survived the moment she feared most. Later that night, after advancing, she shared a smile with her father that said more than any medal ever could. “That night, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw my dad,” she wrote. “I’d survived the one race he told me to run before I could come back to the table to negotiate the remainder of our deal.”
And the conversation that followed was one of mutual pride and understanding. Her father beamed with pride, telling her how effortless she made it look, reminding her of the privilege it was to compete and thrive at such a young age. “And I couldn’t argue,” Sydney added. “So we were on to round two.”
The rest, as history now shows, would lead to an illustrious career filled with Olympic medals, world records, and global admiration. But that moment in Eugene was a reminder that even the strongest need someone to believe in them when they can’t believe in themselves.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s journey didn’t start with a finish line—it started with a conversation. And sometimes, that’s all it takes to become a champion.