"The only pressure is the pressure I put on myself" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reacted to making the US Olympics team at 16

Modified Nov 21, 2024 21:54 GMT

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once revealed she didn't feel any pressure while competing as a 16-year-old at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The New Jersey native was the youngest American track and field athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1982.

McLaughlin-Levrone was born into an athletic family. Her father, Willie McLaughlin, was a three-time All-American sprinter while her mother, Mary McLaughlin, was a 2:12s half-miler during her high school career. The 25-year-old was inclined towards athletics from a young age and it didn't take her long to make a mark on the international stage.

Still in high school in 2016, McLaughlin-Levrone competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in a bid to qualify for the Rio Olympics. Contrary to her own expectations, she excelled at the Trials, placing third in the 400m hurdles with a world junior record time of 54.15s.

Shortly after her victory, the then-16-year-old was asked whether she felt any kind of pressure during the race and in response, she denied it. Recalling her conversation with the reporter in her 2024 memoir 'Far Beyond Gold: Running From Fear to Faith', she wrote:

"I told him the truth. 'The only pressure is the pressure I put on myself. I’m just glad I’m done. I can’t believe this.' 'Believe it. You’re going,' the reporter said, wrapping up the interview."

The world record holder was earlier asked about her emotions over the victory but she could only ask for air.

"'And Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone,' the reporter turned to me. 'At sixteen. High schooler. All the records. But now you’re going to the Olympics. What do you think?' 'I can’t breathe,' were the first words out of my mouth. The reporter laughed, still holding the microphone to me, expecting me to follow the lead of Dalilah Muhammed and Ashley Spencer, maybe add a hashtag before blessed to flash my teenager credentials. Instead, I gave him this: “I’m just happy it’s over with. Thank you, though.'"

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone deliberately lost at the 2016 Rio Olympics

IAAF meetings in Monaco - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone speaks during a press conference (Image: Getty)

Following her impressive performance at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran 56.32s to qualify for the semifinals at the Rio Olympics. However, the American slowed down in the last stretch of her semifinal race to make sure she didn't qualify for the finals. She wrote in the above-mentioned book:

"Around the final turn, my patented final push to the finish line didn’t show up. I didn’t even try to find it. Instead, I slowed down just enough to make sure I wouldn’t make it to the finals."

Explaining her reasons, the 25-year-old claimed she was worn down by the high expectations of people and the media but felt guilty afterward.

"As soon as I got back to my temporary home in the Olympic Village, guilt began to rush upon me. I was such a competitor. Why, under any circumstances, would I slow down? What was causing that? Who cared if I didn’t live up to the expectations of the media, fans, or anyone else?" Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wrote.

McLaughlin-Levrone would eventually rise high above expectations, winning two gold medals and breaking the 400m hurdles record at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics as well.