Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was already a star for the track and field team for the United States.
She held Olympic and world records in the 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone, 25, added on Thursday night winning the gold medal in the event at the Paris Olympics, setting another world record with a performance of 50.37 seconds. It was her sixth world record in the event.
After her victory, McLaughlin-Levrone described her strategy in the race that propelled her to the win, crediting an ability to clear her mind of distractions and outside noise and instead focus on her abilities to carry her to the finish line — a feat she did with seemingly incredible ease.
“Obviously, there are people next to you and they’re going to push you, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t focus on the barriers in front of you,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “That was my focus, trying to be as efficient as I could over my 10 hurdles and trying to lower that time every time.”
McLaughlin-Levrone stressed the importance of faith in her life and credited God for her success.
“I credit all that I do to God,” the Olympic champion said in a press conference after her victory. “He’s given me a gift. He’s given me a drive to just want to continue to improve upon myself, and I have a platform and I want to use it to glorify him.”
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She also explained that her religious beliefs affect her beyond the track. Apart from her athletic accomplishments, McLaughlin-Levrone said her faith acts as a moral compass, which has influenced her life and molded her into the person she is today.
“So whenever I step on the track, it’s always the prayer of, ‘God, let me be the vessel in which you’re glorified, whatever the result is’ — how I conduct myself, how I carry myself, not just how I perform,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “So it’s just freedom in knowing that regardless of what happens, he’s going to get the praise through me. That’s why I do what I do.”
