Leaning into the stance of a sprinter while watching the 2008 Olympics, 8-year-old Sydney McLaughlin envisioned her future. Let's fast forward eight years. The Union Catholic High School senior earned a spot on the U.S. women's track and field team.
Struggling with anxiety, fear and self-doubt, she failed to win a medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but she overcame the adversity and won gold twice four years later.
The 2017 Union Catholic graduate describes her years of growing up, learning to prioritize goals and leaning into her faith in her new memoir, Far Beyond Gold: Running From Fear to Faith”.
She was surrounded by experienced athletes and had access to world-class coaching, major sponsors, a strict diet, and meticulous training routines. The 16-year-old, 5-foot-9 sprinter and hurdler from Dunellen, New Jersey, had none of that.
She munched on Twizzlers and McDonald's hamburgers and chicken nuggets. She was guided by coaches at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains and the no-pressure encouragement of her father, Will. She became champion at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by setting a meet record, and became world champion in 2022 with a world record of 50.68 seconds.
“Writing this book allowed me to connect the dots between who I was and who I am now. For a very long time, I ran away from hardship,” McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, told New York. He spoke to Jersey Catholic, the news organization of the Archdiocese of Arc.
“I tried to escape from my trials and sought happiness in things that were not in my best interest, but I found myself becoming anxious, depressed, frustrated, and lonely,” she said. Ta. “I had no idea how much better my life and career would be if I just put my trust in God. And once I put my trust in, I found happiness and strength. I have experienced many great moments. But now is the only time I am truly living with Christ as my foundation.”
Faith was reserved for Sunday Mass in a kind of ritualistic way. She kept it separate from relationships, sports, school, etc. Since weaving God into every aspect of her life, McLaughlin-Levrone seems to have made tremendous strides both personally and professionally.
Union Catholic head track coach Mike McCabe and assistant coach Luis Cartagena coached her during a critical period in her career as an athlete.
“Coach McCabe always had a plan for how we were going to work toward our goals,” McLaughlin-Levrone recalled. “He was also very understanding of how nervous I was at a young age, so I appreciated how he handled a lot of those situations. Coach Lewis as a hurdles coach , made me really love hurdles and want to continue pursuing hurdles. That was my first introduction to hurdle drills and I really loved practicing my technique. .”
After the 2016 Olympics, she took a two-and-a-half year break from athletics. She participates in soccer, basketball, and dance, strengthening her legs and core, developing a rhythm that balances speed and jumping, and improving her performance in track and field by developing stability, power, and coordination. I was allowed to.
“Sydney's natural ability, intelligence, work ethic and humility are some of her greatest strengths as she overcomes the pressures of being a high-level athlete,” Coach McCabe said. “Sydney has always continued to develop and strive to win in each race she competes in. We have done our best to provide a supportive environment with a solid training plan that includes short and long term goals. I feel like a supportive environment takes precedence over a training plan.”
Her success and fame have had an immeasurable impact on Union Catholic and spotlighted its commitment to developing students into all the people God wants them to be, said Sister Mercy Persily, Union Catholic's principal. Hart pointed out.
“Sydney captivated the nation as a high school Olympian during her time at Union Catholic, rising from a national star, and her breathtaking double gold medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics put Union Catholic on the map worldwide. “Now we can do it,” Sister Percy Lee said. “She is a wonderful ambassador for our school and a very positive role model for everyone. Sydney's success shows that anything is possible at Union Catholic, especially if you work hard.” Sidney represents everything that makes Union Catholic a special and unique place to develop your gifts and talents.”
Born into a family of runners, McLaughlin was a baby, balancing on her father's hands and hopping from foot to foot. She completed her first 100 meter dash at the age of six. As an accomplished athlete, one of the fastest women in the world has adjusted to focus on her 14-15 steps between hurdles without losing her balance or speed. This distance requires extraordinary endurance, speed and technique. A fraction of a second can make or break a victory or a record.
By the time she enrolled at the University of Kentucky, McLaughlin-Levrone broke the school record in the 400-meter hurdles with a score of 52.75. She turned professional, acquired a major sneaker sponsor, traveled to World Championships and Diamond League events, won national titles 13 times, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Her advice to aspiring track and field stars is to work at your own pace and rely on your support system to stay grounded. “There's always someone going faster or slower than you, and if you're not focused on your lane, you can miss what's right in front of you,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. Told.
She credits her faith and support system with helping her gain the confidence and strength to overcome fear during her formative years. “I realized that the only thing holding me back was me, and I decided I wasn't going to let that happen again,” she said.
McLaughlin-Levrone, known as the “fast girl” who broke out into the track and field world at Union Catholic University, focused on becoming a winner in her 20s, honing her technique and strategy, and maintaining optimal body shape. As one of the fastest female athletes in the world, she broke the 51-second barrier in the 400m hurdles at the 2022 World Championships.
“My focus right now is on staying healthy, doing all the little things that I used to take for granted. Nutrition is so important, sleep is essential, and self-care is so important.” “How the body recovers is the difference between success and failure as an athlete at the highest level,” she said.
Social media is key to developing her brand. McLaughlin-Levrone has over 1 million followers on her Instagram, where she promotes her faith, family, and sponsored sneaker brand. “When people look at my social media, I want them to see that there are people who love the Lord Jesus and are using the platform and gifts He has given me to give Him glory. ” she said.
She refuses to speculate about her future, including participation in the 2024 Olympics, due to a knee injury she sustained last year.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can be at peace with uncertainty. Some things,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “But the one thing I'm sure of is that God has a purpose for me greater than I can comprehend. All I can do is go wherever He takes me. Just keep working hard and enjoy the process.”
McLaughlin-Levrone said she would like to coach children when she gets older and retires from professional sports.
“By being in the spotlight at a young age like I did, I've gained a lot of wisdom and learned a lot of lessons over the years. I want to pass that knowledge on to the next generation.”
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