“World records are my favourite food,” read the banner that the mascot held after Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the world record at the 2022 World Championships. It won’t be an understatement to say that the US athlete might have a claim to the throne of the most dominant athlete in track and field currently. Breaking the world record six times, she has transformed the whole 400m hurdle category into her own playground.

But, despite her prolonged success in hurdling, Sydney has also had her own share of struggles in her life on and off court. In her book Far Beyond Gold, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wrote that after her defeat to Dalilah Muhammad, where she came barely 0.07 seconds short of her, the hurdler was at an all-time low. To obtain a sense of comfort, she decided to turn to a person who had been there for her in her younger years. It was her former high school boyfriend, whom she had dated for a few months in 2016.

Despite their break, the hurdler always returned to him whenever she felt low. After her defeat, she did the same again. However, this time, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wanted to fully rekindle her romance. “Do you think there’s any possibility of us ever getting back together?” she asked him after she flew  to one of his college football games. However, to her shock, he replied, “I don’t think so.” The reply really broke young Sydney’s heart, as she felt really hopeless.

“I felt empty. Worthless. Everything I’d looked to for purpose was slowly crumbling in front of me.” In the end, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ended up leaving the place and never meeting him again, despite the high school boyfriend suggesting that they should be friends instead. It was an all-time low for her.

How Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dealt with two big disappointments in her life

After Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s year took a downturn because of her defeat to Dalilah Muhammed and her rejection from her ex, she knew that she had to change something. Thus, in this moment of need, Sydney decided to turn to God. She felt that it was the only thing that could give meaning to her life. Growing up, she only knew God as someone who would punish her if she did anything bad.

She also felt that if she tried to be more religious, her peers would classify her as “uncool.” The only time Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone would go to church was when she was staying with her mother in Los Angeles. But after she moved back to New Jersey to be with her father, the hurdler decided to start going to church all by herself. This was the very first step she took to reconnect with her religion.

Although the visits were short-lived due to COVID, they instilled a belief in God within her, guiding her on her journey to becoming more faithful. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also claims that this experience helped her become the ideal partner for her husband, Andre Levrone, when he entered her life. As a result, faith has become an integral part of her life.