“Was too nervous and shy to ask” - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about turning to fast food during first Olympic experience

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once recalled turning to fast food at the Olympic Village during the 2016 Rio Olympics. She admitted to resorting to it because she was too shy to ask anyone for directions to the cafeteria or a place with healthier options.

She acknowledged relying on McDonald’s, where food was free for Olympic athletes, instead of seeking out more nutritious and balanced meals. In her memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, released in January 2024, she reflected on her first Olympic experience and opened up about her hesitation, stating:

“I didn’t just pass by McDonald’s and grab an item or two. I kind of binged it. By day five, I needed food badly, and I didn’t know where to get it. I was too nervous and shy to ask anyone for directions to the cafeteria or a semihealthy place where I could get a salad or sandwich. So in my angst and fear of sounding ridiculous, I set up shop at McDonald’s.”

She added having chicken nuggets, fries and hamburgers from McDonald’s and mentioned how her teenage metabolism helped her get away with it at that time, although it wasn’t the kind of food elite athletes had to fuel themselves.

Days after relying on fast food, McLaughlin-Levrone went on to finish as a semi-finalist in the 400m hurdles at the Rio Olympics. However, she later went on to win four gold medals across the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, emerging as one of the most dominant athletes in her sport.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reflects on what it’s like to compete in a range of different events

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Grand Slam Track Philadelphia. Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently reflected on what it’s been like competing in events outside of her signature 400m hurdles. So far in the 2025 season, she has raced in only two 400m hurdles events, with the rest of her appearances coming in other disciplines, including the 100m, 100m hurdles, and 400m.

In a pre-race interview before the 2025 Prefontaine Classic earlier this month, the 25-year-old opened up about her experience experimenting with a different range of events, stating (3:15 onwards):

“Yeah, absolutely. It's been fun to challenge myself in those kinds of ways and to kind of just make me a better all-around athlete. So, putting myself in compromising positions that I wouldn't normally be in, I think has mentally and physically allowed me to become stronger in the events that I tend to do a bit more.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also raced in both the 400m and 400m hurdles, events grouped under the long hurdles category at the Grand Slam Track (GST) meets in Miami and Kingston and emerged as the Slam champion at both.

For the third GST meet held in Philadelphia, she switched to the short hurdles group, competing in the 100m hurdles and 100m, where she finished second overall. Notably, the last GST meet scheduled in LA was cancelled.