“My relationship with my parents was something else I was asked about as I prepared for Rio,” Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone wrote in her book. The four-time Olympic gold medalist revealed those questions made her laugh. The media looked for a narrative in her journey, asking questions such as “Did my mom push me? Was my dad a hard coach?” wrote McLaughlin-Levrone.

And while the 400m hurdles specialist’s parent took great interest in her career, their relationship didn’t fit the standard narrative. Despite making it to the Olympic trial in 1984, her father didn’t coach her to fulfill his track and field dream. The 25-year-old’s mother, who was also an athlete, didn’t put the burden of their expectations on her either.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s parents didn’t force their daughter to chase glory

While the hurdler’s parents did want to see their daughter become a champion, they took a more laid-back approach. Rather than push the youngster to her limit, her father hoped to inspire his daughter to become successful.

“My dad was my first and only coach until middle school, but he was far from the intense, obsessive, critical type,” revealed McLaughlin-Levrone.

“In the place of technique, strategy, and motivation, Dad had a stash of sayings,” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wrote in Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith. “Syd, be the butterfly,” Willie Mclaughlin told his daughter during practice.

If you guessed that her father took inspiration from Muhammad Ali’s famous quote, ‘Float like a buttery, sting like a bee,’ you’d be right.

To the world record holder, her father’s phrase meant “quickness, lightness, freedom, and joy,” and that’s exactly what they prioritized. The hurdles specialist’s parents wanted their daughter to fall in love with the sport and didn’t force her to participate. Their approach worked, and as the prodigy improved, the Olympian’s mother played her part.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone described her mother as the “chief of the operation,” for her budding career. “Everything logistical, from signing me up for competitions to packing snacks to figuring out race-day outfits, was all her.” added the Olympic gold medalist. Thanks to their unorthodox approach, McLaughlin-Levrone continued to excel, making it all the way to the 20216 Rio Olympics at 16. Yet, several factors would undo the confidence she had built in her abilities.

McLaughlin-Levorone’s first Olympics didn’t go the way she wanted it to

Qualifying for the Olympics at 16 made the prodigy the center of attention for the media. Suddenly, the media became interested in her past, trying to uncover every detail to weave a narrative. “There was an assumption that I was built differently. The media loves to feed narratives like this. It’s good for business.” Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone wrote in her book.

The 400m hurdles world record holder was an unproven rookie in 2016. Naturally, getting thrust into the media limelight affected the sprinter’s confidence. While her parents were never critical of their daughter, the former world champion was critical of herself. The thought of losing terrified her, and it came to the forefront at the Olympic Trials.

Intimidated to ace alongside older, experienced veterans, the 16-year-old called her dad. “Can I please pull out?” she asked her father. And while the prodigy raced and qualified, the pressure ultimately became too much to handle. Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone finished fifth in the semifinals at Rio, missing out on racing in the Olympic finals.

Getting sick ahead of her first Olympics also didn’t help the athlete. The hurdler traveled to Rio on a flight where the fellow flyers beside her sneezed and coughed throughout the flight. “I was diagnosed with a nasty cold when the medical team met me in the Olympic Village to check me over. Not an ideal way to kick off my Olympic experience” said the athlete.

So the mental and physical stress ultimately cost the 25-year-old her first Olympics. However, by the time Tokyo rolled in, the hurdler showed just how effective her parent’s approach was. The track and field star won two of four Olympic golds at Tokyo 2020. Today, she is a woman to beat in the 400m hurdles.