In the track community today, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is considered an icon. With four Olympic gold medals under her belt, the 25-year-old sprinter has achieved a status for herself that is unrivaled. The New Jersey native is also the current world record holder in the women’s 400m hurdle event, cementing her reputation. However, things haven’t always been so blessed for the Olympian.

Things were very different in 2019, when Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone came achingly close to setting a world record in the 400mH, but was bested in the last moment. Several years and Olympic hardware later, that pain still seems to be a lingering thought in the back of her mind.

The one hurdle that proved too costly for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

In her book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, the sprinter talked about how the 2019 World Championships is a heartbreak she’s yet to overcome. McLaughlin-Levrone was the favorite to win the women’s 400mH final, while her national teammate Dalilah Muhammad was also a strong contender to bag gold. Sydney was feeling confident nonetheless. “I couldn’t help but wonder if it was my turn to break the world record,” she thought and went on to note in her book, “I ran brilliantly that night. Under the Doha lights, in one of the most beautiful stadiums I’ve ever raced in.”

But disaster struck soon. “…on the eighth hurdle, it was as if my body screeched to a halt. I slowed down, stuttered, and barely cleared the hurdle,” she recalled and noted how that minute fumble was all Muhammad needed to edge past and set the new world record of 52.16. After crossing the finishing line behind Dalilah, Sydney could see a USA official’s animated celebrations and initially thought his antics were for both the American winners. But soon, reality hit.

“His praise, rightfully, was only for the new world record holder,” she wrote in her book, while also mentioning that her own poor performance made it difficult to accept congratulatory words under the circumstances. “I’ve never been so disappointed, so completely crushed, after a race,” McLaughlin-Levrone confessed. She went on to share her mental state after the race, “In that tunnel of the Doha stadium, I reached the lowest emotional point of my racing career,” and the sadness in her tone can almost be felt physically. However, the experience wouldn’t be enough to bog down the fighter that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is. Later, she would go on to break the world record in 400m hurdles in Paris. With a little bit of help of course.

Turning her life around, one thing at a time

In her book, the Olympian also talked about how her first experience on the grand stage in 2016 was like a blow to the guts. A 17th-place finish at the Rio Games made McLaughlin realize how she needed to up her game if she wanted to become a track and field icon. During her time with the Kentucky Wildcats, she managed to sharpen her skills and win several national titles. However, the collaboration with Edrick Floreal as her coach left her mental peace in pieces, and she confessed it was a “miserable” time in her life. Thankfully, things soon took a turn for the better.

Sydney found her new coach in the legendary Bob Kersee, who was ready to go out of his way to help his student. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kersee did everything he could to ensure she didn’t miss training and was in top form ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The hard work and dedication paid off, and she bagged two gold medals at the tournament, both of which she defended successfully in Paris last year.

With the legendary coaching veteran in her corner, McLaughlin is one of the greatest hurdlers in the world today. Her incredible success at the top levels of the sport even prompted the Diamond League to organize a special event just for her even though Sydney didn’t accumulate enough points throughout the season to get a spot in the finals. An inspirational journey to the top, won’t you agree? Have you read her book? What is your favorite Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone story? Tell us below.