Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been crowned in the Paris Olympics for all the right reasons. Yet, the world record-holding athlete is still reluctant to embrace her own greatness in its full glory. McLaughlin-Levrone is no stranger to breaking records; but after her stunning performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, even she was left speechless. The 25-year-old sensation cemented her place in history by setting a new world record in the 400m hurdles clocking an impeccable time of 50.37 seconds. But the fact that makes her record even more historic is the fact that this marked the sixth time she has shattered the record.

However, there’s another element that makes the hurdle queen’s journey different: Sydney remains remarkably grounded – even to a fault. The young phenom nurtures her dominating force with a quiet humility that she carries with her. Even after winning gold in the Olympics, she admitted that the magnitude of her accomplishments hadn’t fully set in yet. “It hasn’t really hit me,” she confessed. “It’s a surreal moment.” Overpowering her prowess in the track, it is this unassuming nature of hers that has caught the attention of fellow athletes.

In the recent episode of YouTube podcast ‘Ready Set Go’ hosted by Rodney Green, and Justin Gatlin, Tiara Williams, a U.S. track star, commented on how fans are eager to see more of Sydney beyond her reserved demeanor on the track. “I don’t think she realizes how famous she is,” Williams said, adding that people are not only drawn to her talent but are also yearning to see more of her personality. For an athlete of her caliber, whose name is synonymous with greatness, Sydney often seems unaware of just how impacting her presence might turn out to be for her fans.

Sydney’s composed and focused attitude during races leaves little room for fanfare, but off the track, there are hints of her easing into the spotlight. Williams further reflected, “She’s so poised…want to see her like a little goofy and the real her and I think that’s what fans really like. That’s why they’re begging to see her so much. She’s such a high class talent but they want to know more about her”. Meanwhile, proving the truth of Tiara Williams’ notion, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone credited her family for her impeccable Olympic success story. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone credits family for keeping her focus intact

Breaking the world record six times is no joke. Running at the Paris Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone made short work as she clinched gold clocking a mere 50.37s. In doing so, the track and field queen beat her previous time of 51.46s at Tokyo. Surely, achieving such milestones requires immense focus. And McLaughlin-Levrone has that in plenty, courtesy of her family. 

Appearing on the Jennifer Hudson show recently, McLaughlin-Levrone stated that all her four siblings and her parents have been track and field athletes. Thus, it becomes easier for them to understand McLaughlin-Levrone’s requisites, helping her cause in the process. Crediting her family for her success, the 400mH queen said, “So, they all understand it. It’s a family function, and so I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.” 

She also mentioned her husband, Andre Levrone Jr. Andre was an NFL athlete, donning the jerseys of the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Detailing the care she receives from her husband, McLaughlin-Levrone said, “He takes care of certain things for me on race day, which I really appreciate, so I can focus on what I got to do.” Thus, making humility one of her core values, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the shining examples of how to keep one’s feet on the ground despite soaring high in the realms of greatness.