Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the greatest athletes of our time. She has made the art of hurdling look easy. To describe her dominance in words is not an easy task. The athlete has broken her own world record six times, including once in the Olympic final where she defended her gold medal. The best to do it in her sport, it seems impossible to conceive that she may have weaknesses in her game.

But apparently, she does have it. And it’s not a small one that can be mended through practice. This is the biggest hurdle in her career, which could have caused it to go haywire. But the fact that it hasn’t been able to do that is another testament to her dominance. She revealed what it was in an interview herself.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone speaks about her biggest weakness

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently discussed her most notable weakness and the biggest threat to her dominance in hurdling during an interview with Revolt Sports, which they later posted on Instagram. She said, “I don’t wear contacts, but I actually can’t see very well and it’s kinda been a problem because when I get closer to a hurdle, I have to blink a lot in order to clear my eyes so that I know what to jump over. But, it is what it is. I tried contacts, couldn’t do it, it’s fine.”

While she says it like it’s not a big deal at all, it is in fact a big deal. The comments in the post think so too. One user said, “If she gets laser, it’s OVER! Like a WRAP!!!Ain’t NOBODY touching her records and medal count!!!” The other said that this basically showed the difference between an Olympian and an average human being. They said, “The Olympics were great but also made me feel like we all can’t be the same damn species!”

This really highlights just how exceptional an athlete McLaughlin-Levrone is. She shatters world records effortlessly and wins medals even with limited vision. Imagine what she could achieve if her vision were fully restored!

Despite her remarkable achievements, she continues to face significant scrutiny, largely due to her inactivity in hurdling, which has been noticeable since 2021.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone criticized for her inactivity post Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with the dominant performance fans have come to expect from her. However, she competed sparingly afterward, participating in only one Diamond League event in 2023. Many speculated that this limited participation was solely to prepare for the Paris Olympics. She also missed the World Championships that same year due to a lengthy knee injury. Although she won gold again in Paris, fans hoped she would compete more regularly, but that now seems unlikely.

Recently, the list of athletes competing in the 400m hurdles at the Diamond League was released, and McLaughlin-Levrone’s name was notably absent. In contrast, her Dutch rival, Femke Bol, who won bronze in Paris, was included. This omission led many to question the notion that McLaughlin-Levrone is merely taking a break after the Olympics, prompting some fans to voice their frustration on social media. However, given her exceptional performance each time she steps on the track, it’s reasonable to suggest that she deserves some leeway as an athlete.