Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone added yet another feather to her already overloaded hat last September when she was inducted into the University of Kentucky’s Hall of Fame. This recognition was extra special for Sydney, who reflected, “I would not be the woman I am if I had not attended the UK.” That one year packed enough growth, grit, and glory to set her on a trajectory for greatness. She spent just one year at the university, but what a year it was.

In 2018, Sydney made history, winning the NCAA Division-I 400-meter hurdles with a jaw-dropping, record-breaking time of 52.75 seconds—proof that she was destined for greatness. By June, she left her collegiate eligibility behind, and by October, she had gone pro with a New Balance deal, ready to take her career to the next level. Her time at Kentucky clearly prepared her for the hurdles (pun fully intended) that lay ahead in her track and field journey. Yet, when she finally unrobed her university regalia and transitioned to professional athletics, she faced problems with every move she made.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s post-Kentucky struggle

“The problems started as soon as I left Kentucky. There I’d learned a technical approach to hurdling from Coach Flo,” wrote Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in her autobiography—Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith. On the UK track, under the guidance of Coach Edrick Floreal, she realized that breaking 50 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles was possible—a milestone that took grueling workouts to achieve. She described the intensity of those sessions with a vivid and funny image during her Hall of Fame speech, saying they were so tough she could almost see jellyfish floating around her.

However, in her book, she shared how she felt that the technical approach was unable to work after leaving Kentucky. “I always prided myself on a continual progression. Each year, by the grace of God, I always seemed to get faster, but this felt like I was slowly beginning to roll the other direction. I began to second-guess everything,” she exclaimed in the book. 

Once she left coach Edrick Floreal’s training environment, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sensed that her “skills slowly began to dwindle.” In her book, she explained her situation: “I tried my best to replicate on my own the information I had learned, but it wasn’t sticking.” This was a crucial time for the 400-meter hurdler, as the World Athletics Championships awaited in Doha. 

The looming World Championship was a great deal for her. And Sydney knew that she had a “real shot” at a world event. The problem, however, was not meant to leave her. “…but as my year at Kentucky and all that technical training retreated further into my memory and away from my day-to-day habits on the track, I knew I was leaving more on the table. It was frustrating,” she added. At that time, the reigning 400m hurdler, Dalilah Muhammad, was on the competitor list. As for Sydney? She faced the consequences!

From Doha heartbreak to Tokyo triumph—and total world domination ever since!

In October 2019, in a humid, hot condition, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was striding on the World Championships in Doha. She maintained the winning streak in the qualifying round and the semifinal. The final, however, did not meet the expectation. In the final, Sydney was competing against Dalilah Muhammad. Dalilah, at the 400m hurdle, clocked  52.16 seconds to win the top podium stand. Whereas Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone falls behind her with just 0.07 seconds to become the silver medalist in the event. It was a close margin. 

But there’s a silver lining: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone could find some comfort in her prior victory over Dalilah Muhammad at the Diamond League in Zürich. Ever the quick learner, Sydney didn’t dwell on her setbacks for long. Instead, she took a hard look at her defeat, analyzing every detail. Fueled by a hunger to redeem herself on the world’s biggest stage—the Tokyo Olympics—she teamed up with her new coach, Bobby Kersee, and got to work. Together, they overhauled her techniques with intense training.

The result? A jaw-dropping performance at the Tokyo Olympics. In a thrilling showdown, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone not only claimed the Olympic gold but also shattered Dalilah’s world record—twice in one year. The first came at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, where Sydney clocked a blazing 51.90 seconds. Then, on the biggest stage in Tokyo, she delivered a masterclass, leaving Dalilah to settle for silver. Today, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is not just the reigning queen of the 400m hurdles; she’s holding onto that crown with the highest margin and six world records, proving she’s in a league of her own.