Paris 2024 – Women 400mH finals. The gun fires, and BAM! Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone starts running, slowly taking a massive lead, and the next thing you know, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has broken her very own world record to win gold in Paris. She bettered her previous record by 0.28 seconds by clocking 50.37, and all this while visibly looking calm? Well, she looked relaxed and her emotions in control even after she finished her run. Next came the podium ceremony, and she still remained all composed. No tears were shed. No big celebratory sign was made. Just a big calm smile. But how was she so composed all throughout? Don’t think so hard, as Sydney herself has spilled the beans!

The Olympian was speaking at the 2025 Upfront Summit – Beyond Gold: What it Takes to Stay at the Top. In the YouTube video recorded on February 27, Michael Johnson can be seen asking the world record holder what works for her to soothe her nerves before the race. She answered, “I’d say my faith is a huge part of it. Just that knowing that my identity is not in whether I win or lose this race, first and foremost, gives me so much peace to just go out there and use the gift that I’ve been given.”Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been open about her faith and talked about it from time and again. She prays before every race with her coach, her trainer, and her husband.

Further zeroing in on the fact that she does not interact with the media, she continued, “But ultimately, I think in the moment, it’s really just everybody says, I look so serious, I’m not waving at the camera, I’m locked in, because I know what I’m there to do. And I’m really focused on executing and giving my all to everything that I am here to do.”  The 25-year-old athlete further tells that she talks to herself, repeating the game plan in her head. She dedicates the night before the race to visualizing prayers.

And when she is in one the line the next day, she knows she is ready. “And once I get on that line, I know that all the preparation has been done.  I’ve done everything I need to do to be prepared for this moment. Now it’s just letting the gift shine for itself,” she said. And it’s working for her. She won Olympic gold with this strategy, broke a world record, and then broke it again five times. Not just that, she is a four-time Olympic champion, three-time World Champion, and one-time Diamond League winner.

But going back to something that she said on being questioned for her personality, for not waving at camera. So what about that?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up on being questioned about her personality

The Olympic gold medalist, in an interview with Spill The Tee later posted by Grand Slam track official Youtube channel, gave an example to make people understand how much she avoids attention and media. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reckons a fan coming to her at a gas station and telling her she looks like an athlete. “And I was like, oh yeah, which one? He was like, from the Olympics. I don’t know her name. And I was like, yeah, I get that sometimes,” she said. The man further questioned her if she was not, and she responded with, “Well, it depends which one you’re talking about.”

Now, when you see Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone outside of the track, you will find a lively person, but on the track, she is totally calm and to herself. She said, “I get a lot of flack for not showing enough personality on the track, but it’s because I’m trying to give y’all the best performances possible. Period.” Highlighting that she does bring the best out of herself, she said, “If you want the personality, you’re gonna have to get it here.” Here, as in outside of track. Fair approach, don’t you think?