"I was so terrified to do it" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about her first race as a six-year old

By Janhavi Shinde

Modified Sep 20, 2024 02:26 GMT

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently reflected on her first race that began her athletics journey. She competed in her first race as a six-year-old.

McLaughlin-Levrone hails from a sporting family with her father Willie, having made the 400m semi-finals at the 1984 U.S. Olympic trials. Her mother, Mary, was a middle-distance runner, and her brother Tyler was a silver medalist in the 400m hurdles at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships.

McLaughlin-Levrone's talent was undeniable right from the start. Displaying remarkable prospects as a young runner, McLaughlin-Levrone rose to become a household name in athletics.

In a recent interview with Jesus Calling, the 25-year-old reflected on the first race of her life, noting how it set the stage for her incredible journey. She described the intense fear she felt before her first race. However, as soon as the gun went off, a sense of freedom washed over her, and she was surprised she had won the race.

"I ran my first race and I was so terrified to do it, but once I actually started and the gun went off, I just felt so free," she said. "And there was so much fun between the start and finish line that by the time I finished, I was number one, glad it was over with, but I hadn’t even realized that I’d won the race."

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"This was my first full real Olympic" - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on her third appearance at the Games in Paris

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone celebrates with her women's 400m hurdles gold medal during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Photo via Getty Images)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone made her Olympic debut during the 2016 Rio Games. She earned the spot to compete in the Games at the age of 17 after recording a junior world record in the Trials. The American runner settled in fifth place in the semifinal round of the women's 400m hurdles.

Four years later, she collected two medals at the Tokyo Games. However, during her appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, she stated her unpreparedness to compete on the world stage during her debut Olympics. McLaughlin-Levrone also conveyed that her experience at the Rio and Tokyo Games equipped her for the Paris Olympics.

At Rio, I was 17 years old and was thrown into the world stage not knowing what to expect. I think I’ve learned so much since then that now I can understand what it takes to compete at this level.

I think that experience and that in Tokyo as well just kinda prepared me for Paris. And this was my first full real Olympics, I feel like.“

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone bagged two gold medals in 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay at the 2024 Paris Games.