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"His presence meant a lot"- When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up on calming support at Olympics in Bobby Kersee’s absence
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once shared how the presence of Mike Holloway helped settle her nerves ahead of her first race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In the absence of her personal coach, Holloway, who was serving as the head coach of the U.S. Track and Field team for the Games, provided her the much-needed support.
Earlier, the American hurdler had qualified for her second Olympic Games with a world record performance in the 400m hurdles at the trials. However, she revealed in her memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, released in January 2024, that her coach Bobby Kersee’s passport was delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant that she was set to compete in the first heats without his presence.
While McLaughlin-Levrone recalled being nervous about her first big race at the Tokyo Olympics, she noted in her memoir that Mike Holloway was waiting for her in the lobby before her first race at the Games. She described how much his presence meant to her, adding:
“He was going to come with me to my first heat, watch me as I warmed up, and be there if I needed anything. His presence meant a lot and settled my nerves as I began my quest for gold.”
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“I went through my warm-up routine. Mouse watched quietly. He seemed to sense that I’m not a talker on race day. The best thing he could do was just be there. I appreciated his presence so much,” she added.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone went on to win her first heat with a time of 54.65s, followed by a dominant performance in the semifinals with a 53.03s. In the final, she once again performed brilliantly, taking home her first Olympic gold and breaking her own world record with a time of 51.46s.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reflects on one of the earliest races that left her in tears
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recalled a race from her early high school days that had an emotional impact on her. Speaking on Grand Slam Track’s Spill the Tee with Tiara Williams in an interview released in May 2025, she shared how a high school 400m race at the Meet of Champions made her cry, stating (1:44 onwards)
“I was racing this senior girl who was really, really fast, and I was freaking out all week because I was a freshman. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so scared of her.’ I threw up right before the race. I didn’t even get second. I was like, ‘At least I’ll get second.’ I got like fourth or fifth. I was just bawling my eyes out, and I was like, ‘Never again.’”
McLaughlin-Levrone further reflected on the lesson she learnt from the experience. She added that although it felt like the end of the world during the moment, it's important for athletes to remember that setbacks in sports are temporary.
