"Even running to breakfast in the morning was a competition"- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up on growing up in an athletic family

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about growing up in an athletic family as she molded her career as an Olympic athlete. The American athlete revealed how her siblings challenged her in every aspect of her life.

McLaughlin-Levrone defended her Olympic title in Paris in the women's 400m hurdles and broke the world record for the sixth time. Moreover, she won the gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay after a dominating performance that helped the team clinch the title with a formidable lead.

After a successful campaign at the Paris Olympics, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made an appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and spoke about growing up in an athletic family.

With her mother, Mary Neumeister McLaughlin, being a former middle-distance runner, and her father, Willie McLaughlin, running the 400-meter hurdles in college, sports, and competitiveness came naturally to her.

"Yes, my whole family, we all ran track. My four siblings, oh yes, there are four of us, and then my parents, and then my husband, was also an athlete in the NFL. So, all the athletes, they all understand it, it is a family function and so, I wouldn't be able to do it without it," she said.

"We were always competitive growing up, you know, even running to breakfast in the morning was a competition and so, I honestly it's just a natural inclination being a McLaughlin," she added.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on receiving immense support from her parents

The Olympic Games-Paris 2024 - Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about receiving incredible support from her parents while growing up. She revealed how, despite being former athletes themselves, they did not force her into tough training routines and let her forge her own path as an athlete.

"I think my parents, I credit them so much for how they handled my young years. They didn’t want to overwhelm me with rigorous training at a young age. They really wanted me to grow and develop number one, my body, and number two my love for the sport naturally," she said.

"Not because they wanted to force me into anything, not because I had some coach that wanted me to go win Nationals. It was very much so, “If you love this, if you want to do this, great,” she added.

Furthermore, she revealed how her parents focused on inculcating the right running style and mechanics in her as a young athlete rather than expecting her to win, as they were more concerned about her being active and social in the community.