Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has opened up about the advice given to her by her husband, Andre Levrone, that played a significant role in perfecting her track and field performances.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist shared that Andre advised her to step away from treating every aspect of her life like a race, especially in daily activities. McLaughlin-Levrone explained how this advice shaped her approach to life and competition: “Just in daily life, living with my husband, he’s like, ‘Not everything is a competition. Not everything is a race. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing, I’m going to try to do it better.’” This mindset, she says, helped her cultivate a drive for excellence in everything she does, bringing out a sense of perfectionism in her work.
Strengths has played a key role in her success
McLaughlin-Levrone, a three-time World Champion, further elaborated on how doing things to the best of her ability fuels her competitive spirit. She believes that understanding her own strengths has played a key role in her success. “There are moments when, as an athlete, if we don’t understand something right away, like golf, for example. I’m not good at golf, and I think part of the reason I avoid it is because I’m not naturally skilled at it. As a competitor, I struggle with things I’m not naturally good at,” she admitted.
New York Grand Prix in June
McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2024 season was nothing short of spectacular. In May, she triumphed in the 200m at the Los Angeles Grand Prix, defeating renowned 200m specialists like Gabby Thomas and Abby Steiner. At the New York Grand Prix in June, she competed in her first 400m race of the season, posting a then-world-leading time of 48.75 seconds—just 0.01 seconds shy of her personal best. In that race, she led early and powered ahead in the final stretch, finishing more than two seconds ahead of second-place finisher Talitha Diggs.
In June, McLaughlin-Levrone also signed with Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League for the 2025 season, where she will compete in both the 400m hurdles and 400m flat categories.
finishing the 400m hurdles in 50.37 seconds- shattered world record
Her perfect 2024 culminated in another historic performance at the Paris Olympics, where McLaughlin-Levrone once again shattered her own world record, finishing the 400m hurdles in 50.37 seconds and defending her Olympic title. She later added another gold medal to her collection as part of the Women’s 4x400m relay team.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s success both on and off the track reflects how small shifts in mindset—like Andre’s advice to treat life with less competition—can lead to extraordinary achievements.