The queen of 400-meter hurdles? Yeah, that’s none other than Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Whether she’s dazzling us at the Paris Olympics or smashing her own records, she’s been on fire. With four shiny medals from both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics each, plus a mind-blowing six world records broken this year, she’s clearly not just here to play; she’s here to dominate!

In her book Far Beyond Gold, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shares how the pandemic threw her life into chaos. At first, she was totally oblivious to COVID-19, saying, “For the first three months of 2020, COVID-19 was not on my radar.” As the lockdown hit, everything changed—tracks closed, churches shut down, and training became a struggle.

She tried staying active through Zoom calls and neighborhood runs, but loneliness crept in, making it tough to keep her spirits up. Feeling overwhelmed, Sydney decided to see a psychologist, but that turned out to be a letdown. She recalls, “No advice for outlook,” which left her feeling frustrated. Instead of talking through her issues, she walked away with prescriptions for sleeping pills and antidepressants. Holding those bottles, she thought, “This was her answer for me?” It felt like a really low point.

She knew she needed deeper healing, something more than just masking her problems with meds. Trying to cope, she dove into social media, creating a show called Saturday Night Vibes where she connected with fans. But then, during one show, something disrespectful happened that bummed her vibe, and she decided to cancel it. While she missed having her mom around, she started going back to church, hoping to find some depth.

But as she struggled to connect, the world shut down again, leaving her in a tough spot, still searching for that deeper meaning in her life. And that is when Sydney turned to God, seeking genuine comfort amid her struggles.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone finds strength in God

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had quite the rollercoaster ride going up against Dalilah Muhammad. It all started back in 2019 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where she snagged second place, clocking in at 52.88 seconds while Dalilah cruised by with a blazing 52.20. Their clash didn’t let up at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, either. Sydney was right there, finishing just 0.07 seconds behind Dalilah, even though she rocked the third-fastest time ever!

Amid these challenges, Sydney discovered her faith in god during the 2021 Olympic trials. She shared, “Through those trials, God taught me so much. Though they were all difficult, exhausting, emotional experiences, I’m grateful for them. They helped me understand how to rely on Christ, not myself, in any situation. They were refining me into the woman God wanted me to be.”

Fast forward to last year, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone got hit with a serious knee injury right before the world championships, keeping her out of the 2024 indoor season. But she came back swinging in 2024, and her season? Absolutely epic! That’s when she turned to God and said, “After last year, having to sit out due to injury, the mental build back to the world stage felt like a mountain of a climb. Yet as I reflect on the year, I’m so thankful for the ways in which God challenged every part of me to rely solely upon Him in some of the most grueling moments.” All’s well that ends well!