"I called my agent and told him I’d made a mistake"-When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recalled how her mother convinced her to sign with New Balance 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once revealed that she had chosen to sign with Under Armour instead of New Balance before her parents, especially her mother, Mary McLaughlin, intervened. The American hurdler eventually signed with the New Balance, who offered her a staggering $1.5 million annual salary.

McLaughlin-Levrone rose to prominence during her high school career, winning the 400m hurdles title at the 2015 World Youth Championships. She set and broke several age group records before surprising the world at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.

The 25-year-old finished third at the trials, clocking an impressive time of 54.15s and became the youngest American track and field athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1980. While McLaughlin-Levrone didn't win any medals at the Rio Olympics, it set her up for a big contract from prominent shoe companies.

She held meetings with Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and New Balance but narrowed down her choice to the latter two. The Olympic champion initially preferred Under Armour, but her parents were considering New Balance. Her mother, Willie McLaughlin, was instrumental in convincing the youngster.

“I have to be honest with you, honey, I think you made the wrong choice going with Under Armour. New Balance has treated you like family since you were fourteen years old. They’ve always taken care of you. Their shoes work for you," she told Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (via Sydney's 2024 memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith)

McLaughlin-Levrone added that her parents had never interfered in her sprinting career after she got agent, but when they did at the time of signing the shoe contract, she understood that she needed to listen.

"I called my agent and told him I’d made a mistake. I wanted to go with New Balance if they’d still have me. It was a nerve-racking day or two as I waited for their response. After Mom shook me out of my youthful vanity, I had become terrified that I’d made a potentially career-altering decision that would haunt me for years to come. Thankfully, when my agent called back, he had good news: New Balance was willing to renegotiate our expired offer," she wrote.

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Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone emerges front runner for 2024 Female Track Athlete of the Year award

Wanda Diamond League 2024 Final - Allianz Memorial Van Damme Brussels - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in action (Source: Getty)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was nominated for the World Athletics' Female Track Athlete of the Year award alongside Gabby Thomas, Julien Alfred, Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon and Marileidy Paulino, following a record-breaking 2024 season.

McLaughlin-Levrone managed to secure a spot in the race alongside Alfred, the 100m Olympic champion, as the other four athletes failed to qualify for the final two positions. While the voting for the award is ongoing, the American hurdler appears to be the frontrunner after a remarkable 2024 season that included breaking the 400m hurdles world record twice.

The 25-year-old broke the record at the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Paris Olympics, lowering the time to 50.37s. She also won two Olympic gold medals, while Alfred earned one gold and one silver medal from the Paris Olympics and the 100m Diamond League title.