Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the greatest track and field athletes to grace the sport. She has consistently displayed her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles, breaking the world record on multiple occasions. However, 2021 was supposed to be Levrone’s comeback year on the track, but as it turned out, her most important race wasn’t against other athletes.

After a 15-month hiatus since the 2019 World Championships, she was set to return and trained under the sharp guidance of her new coach, Bobby Kersee. Their first meet? A grueling 60-meter hurdles event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix—a distance she hadn’t run since high school. But this wasn’t just a test of athletic endurance; for Sydney, it was a test of spirit and faith, with her family on her mind and the cloud of her father’s failing health looming over her.

As she stepped onto the track for her 60-meter hurdles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone could feel the weight of the unknown in every aspect of her life. “There was no falling back on the familiar there,” she said, recalling the pressure of her return. Alongside a field of the United States’ top hurdlers, including the current world record holder, Levrone felt a mixture of thrill and apprehension. She had only practiced this distance for a week, and a mixture of thrill and apprehension filled Levrone as she stood alongside a field of the United States’ top hurdlers, including the current world record holder. Every part of her body was poised between the adrenaline of competition and the deeper concern weighing on her heart: her dad’s health was failing, and he needed a heart transplant.

Levrone found herself questioning if this was truly what she wanted in a year she had just surrendered her life to God. “I didn’t expect a voice to call out from the clouds,” she reflected, “but I guess I thought I’d find some version of those answers each time I opened the Bible.” Finishing 8th clocking at 8.56 on that fateful day of February 13 could’ve diminished whatever hopes she had left—but it didn’t. And soon, Levrone faced a test of her faith in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s father’s heart condition worsened, and in a mix of hope and desperation, the doctors placed him on the transplant list. Miraculously, just a week later, the news arrived—a heart was available. Those hours waiting for surgery were among the most difficult in her life. She remembered her family on FaceTime waiting, feeling like each moment might be the end.

Reflecting on her year and the redemption of her father, she went from chasing championships to appreciating everything. In her words, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” but 2021 proved to Levrone that strength often comes in the form of accepting the obstacles we see—and those we cannot. However, Levrone’s family has a strong athletic history.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s siblings: Everything to know about the world record-holder’s sporting family

McLaughlin-Levrone hails from a family deeply rooted in athletics. Her father, Willie McLaughlin, made his mark as a talented track star, achieving notable success when he finished second in the 400 meters at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials. Her mother, Mary, was also an accomplished athlete; she ran middle distances in high school and took on the role of overseeing the men’s track team at Manhattan College in 1979, since there wasn’t a women’s team at that time. Sydney is not alone in her athletic pursuits; she has three siblings.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s older sister, Morgan, has followed in her parents’ footsteps by competing in long jumps and hurdles for St. Peter’s University in New Jersey. According to the official World Athletics website, Morgan last participated in a track event back in 2014 at the Piscataway Rutgers Invitational. Her elder brother, Taylor, is also a dedicated athlete. He recently competed in the 2024 Occidental Invitational, focusing on the 110-meter hurdles.

Taylor had previously earned a silver medal at the 2016 World Junior (U20) Athletics Championships in the 400-meter hurdles. Sydney’s younger brother, Ryan, is another promising hurdler who has made his mark by winning the county track title in New Jersey.

On a personal note, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone married Andre Levrone, a former football player, in May 2022. Their engagement took place in August 2021, further connecting her life to another figure from the sports world. To date, the athlete keeps on exemplifying excellence and resilience in track and field.