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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has detailed the one loss that changed everything in her career and turned her into a record-breaking assasin.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has opened up about the one bitter loss to former 400m hurdles world record holder Dalilah Muhammad that shaped her worldview and made her the athlete she is today.
The two-time Olympic champion explained that she went into the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, confident of a win despite being very unprepared and due to that, she ended up finishing second.
Dalilah Muhammad claimed the win in a world record time of 52.16 seconds ahead of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who clocked the second-fastest time in the world at the time, 52.23 seconds. Jamaican Rushell Clayton rounded up the podium in 53.74 seconds.
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone explained that losing that race awakened a different energy in her and she gave credit to Dalilah Muhammad for pushing her to be the best version of herself each time they raced against each other.
“I just remember in that race, knowing that I wasn’t ready for that moment and so watching in slow motion me get so close but also be so far and then I heard it was a world record. I was heartbroken despite knowing that both physically and mentally I wasn’t ready for that and it was so heartbreaking,” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said on the Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo podcast.
“At the time, I wanted it so bad and wanted to feel validated but I’m grateful for that loss in so many ways because I think it woke me up. She is an amazing competitor and she pushed me to be my best since I was 16 and I’m grateful.”
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone explained that at the time, she was not saved but before the race, she spoke to God and told Him that she wanted the title.
Sydney admitted that she knew she was not ready for the challenge but knew that God would carry the burden and she would get to compete freely.
“It wasn’t because I knew there was more and I think even watching that race back then I remember, at the time I wasn’t saved, I didn’t know the LORD, but I was calling on God before that race,” Sydney added.
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“I literally remember being like, ‘LORD I know we don’t have a relationship like that but like this is serious. But I was like I am actually really terrified about this race and I really want to win.’”
Following that disappointment in 2019, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone went on to break the 400m hurdles world record at the 2021 US Olympic Trials. She clocked an impressive 51.90 seconds and since that time, she has been on a roll.
She went ahead to break the record at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon before suffering an injury setback during the entire 2023 season.
Sydney bounced back in the 2024 season, breaking her world record at the US Olympic trials and then shattered the record again at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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