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American track and field athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about her mental fortitude, saying it's something she’s always had. She added that, no matter which event she is competing in, whether it's 400m hurdles, 100m or 200m, she locks in with the same drive.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the dominant track and field athletes and holds the world record in 400m hurdles. The record was set at the 2024 Paris Games, clocking 50.37s.
Recently, the Olympic gold medalist made an appearance on the Ready Set Go podcast with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green. In the discussion, Gatlin admired how McLaughlin-Levrone always remained focused during her races. He recalled her 200m race and shared being amazed by it, even though it's not her main event.
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McLaughlin-Levrone says her mental strength has always been a part of her. She noted that she strives to be her best every time she steps on the track.
“Yeah, there's just this desire for whatever I'm doing to be the best. And I think whether it is the 400 hurdles, the 200 this weekend or the 100 and the 100 hurdles, I just want to be the best that I can be when I step on the track," said McLaughlin-Levrone (10:14 onwards)
She added that she sees herself as a student of the sport, always learning and refining her technique, like improving block starts:
“And I truly feel like I'm a student of the sport, which is wanting to learn in every way, shape and form I can, so, like, learning how to do block starts out for the 100, right? Like I'm learning that I need to drop my front knee a little bit more parallel to the track and drive that first step and toe drag if I can, and stay down.”
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games, and she was the youngest track and field athlete to make the team since 1980.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2025 season so far
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone boasts four Olympic gold medals and three world championship titles. The New Jersey native had a strong 2025 season, winning back-to-back Grand Slam Track Championships in Kingston and Miami.
Apart from the 400m hurdles and 400m flat, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also made her professional 100m debut in the third Grand Slam event held in Philadelphia and also contested the 100m hurdles.
After Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's dominant performance in the GST, she recently made her debut in women’s 400m flat at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday, July 5, and won the title, clocking 49.43s. Next, she will be competing at the Ed Murphey Classic on Saturday, July 12.
