The Journey Continues….

Drawing Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone || Olympic Athlete (youtube.com)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has mastered the art of the game face.

️Recently Sydney opened up to WH about prioritizing her mental health, relying on her inner mental fortitude, and enjoying every moment she’s in, no matter the outcome.

As WH’s Olympics Issue cover star, she’s opening up about the hurdles she’s had to clear—both physically and mentally—to become her best self.

While the 24-year-old prepares for Paris, she’s also honing a deep awareness and understanding of what her body and soul need in order to thrive. “It does get harder as the years go by. You’re pushing your body to its limits,” she tells WH. “It’s a part of sports that can be physically draining, mentally draining, and that’s why taking breaks and remembering why you love it is so important.”

With her refreshed focus and a new approach to training, Sydney is ready to take on Paris just like she did in Tokyo in 2021. “This feels like a full-circle Olympics—combining those past experiences into this one,” she says.

Sydney McLaughlin knows about facing down obstacles. She has mastered not only racing over hurdles on the track but also tackling challenges in her personal life—from lifelong battles with perfectionism and anxiety to persistent questions about her identity and whether she was “enough.”

Her pursuit of perfection and people-pleasing continued for years until God broke into her story with his overwhelming grace, transforming love, and empowering truth.

In Far Beyond Gold, Sydney) will share aspects of her life story and personhood she has never shared publicly before, offering a more complex picture of who she is.

She will inspire you to:

Conquer your fears in Christ’s strength
Stand strong in your identity in him
Push past your perceived limits
Overcome the challenges you’re facing

Experience the story of a woman who shifted from anxiety to boldness, from limits to freedom, and from perfectionism to purpose—and now shows the world that often what we think is impossible is possible with God.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – Search Images (bing.com) —

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record–holding American sprinter and hurdler. In 2016, she made history at age 16 as the youngest US Olympian to compete in track and field since 1972 and set a junior world record in the 400m hurdles at the Olympic team trials.

McLaughlin cemented herself as a track superstar in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by winning a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, breaking the world record with a 51.46-second time, and winning a gold medal for the 4×400-meter relay.

In 2022, McLaughlin again broke the 400-meter hurdle record and won a gold medal at the Track and Field World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She ran a mind-blowing 50.68 seconds, becoming the first woman to ever run the race under 51 seconds, making it the fourth time in two years she’d broken the world record. McLaughlin was named one of 2022 World Athletics’ Athletes of the Year.

Prior to her professional career,

McLaughlin competed at the University of Kentucky and was the Gatorade National High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year for two consecutive years. McLaughlin was born in Dunellen, New Jersey, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Andre Levrone Jr.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has turned ‘debilitating fear’ into six world records.

400 meters hurdles

Congratulations Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on your record-shattering victory.

At the 2019 World Championships held in Doha, 29-year-old Dalilah Muhammad held off 20-year-old McLaughlin by 0.07 seconds American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaks down her world record 400m hurdles run at Oregon 2022 | Watch (msn.com)

At the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships,

Held between September 27 and October 6, 2019 in Doha, Qatar, McLaughlin ran the distance in 52.23 seconds finishing in second place behind Dalilah Muhammad. However, in 2021, McLaughlin defeated Muhammad at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, running a world record time of 51.90. Later, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, McLaughlin bettered her time to 51.46 to claim the Olympic gold.^[42]

In June 2022, she broke her own world record; running a time of 51.41 during the USATF Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene. A month later at the World Championships, also at Hayward field, she broke her own world record again with a time of 50.68 seconds and took the title of World Champion.

On June 30, 2024, at the 2024 Olympic Trials, McLaughlin-Levrone would go on to break her own world record once more, finishing with a time of 50.65 seconds and qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics.^[43]

On August 8, 2024, McLaughlin-Levrone at the Olympic Games in Paris,

McLaughlin-Levrone once again broke her own world record, powering over the 400-meter hurdles in 50.37 seconds on Thursday night to defend her Olympic title. The 25-year-old American has now lowered the world record six times. She was in the lead around the corner and breezed down the home stretch to beat teammate Anna Cockrell by 1.50 seconds. ^[44][45]

LVE Sydney she’s in a league of your own….we are in awe of everything you accomplish!

Record breaker and carries herself with the utmost integrity on and off the track- respect such an amazing @tagheuer ambassador

The face of a woman who is in awe of God 51.90

I could feel this meet was going to be something special… but MAN. Weeks like these are some of the hardest in a track athlete’s life. The mental strain of preparing for the rounds in order to solidify your spot is heavy enough. But the amount of weight the Lord took off my shoulders, is the reason I could run so freely yesterday. My faith was being tested all week.

From bad practices, to 3 false start delays, to a meet delay. I just kept hearing God say, “Just focus on me”. It was the best race plan I could have ever assembled. I no longer run for self recognition, but to reflect His perfect will that is already set in stone. I don’t deserve anything. But by grace, through faith, Jesus has given me everything.

Records come and go. The glory of God is eternal. Thank you, Father.

Congrats to everyone who made the team, as well as my awesome competitors!! Let’s go represent the USA the best way we know how!

“So let us come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive ~

His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” – Hebrews 4:16

Praise. His Name.

What a beautiful day yesterday was. Preparing for this meet, the core of my team was centered around faith and belief. The amount of prayer coupled with hard work was divinely culminated in 50.68 seconds. By the grace of God, we accomplished our goal. Thank you so much to my coach, my husband, my team, my family, and all of my supporters. Let’s continue pushing the bounds of the sport,

because with God, all things are possible! God bless.

She’s not celebrated like the others because she’s Bold about her faith in Christ. The other reason is that she’s not wearing colored wigs, not doing wild interviews, doesn’t have crazy tats or fingernails, and just wins races. She’s boring in their eyes

LVE your boldness for the Lord! You are classy, strong and you are a wonderful ambassador for our Lord and Savior Jesus. Type of athlete where getting 2nd place in her races should be viewed as a victory Can’t wait to see how he’s going to use you.

Lve the fact that you guys have given her her flowers. She’s one of one. A generational athlete who does one thing and one thing only. WIN. Which is why she’s not celebrated like a lot of other Olympians who are celebrated for the wrong reasons.

The G.O.A.T. . And one of the greatest athletes of all time. Congrats Sydney!!!

Bless you. “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” ~ Daniel 3:17-18

OUR ‍

She’s not new to this, some just might be new to her.

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Truth! Although to be fair, most of these elite athletes are doing what us mere mortals could only dream to do, so even just getting to the Olympics is honestly a victory, an honor, a hard earned deserve, and speaks for itself.+

The sky’s the limit and your feet are firmly planted on the ground.

to God be the Glory. @sydneymclaughlin16