Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Reveals Powerful Pre-Race Rituals Behind Championship Performance

The American hurdler and sprinter shared how total focus, headphones, and mental preparation fuel top performances and ambitions across multiple events.

American track superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is leaving no stone unturned as she builds momentum for one of the most anticipated seasons of her career.

The 25-year-old hurdler, already a global sensation, kicked off her 2025 campaign with a statement performance at the inaugural Michael Johnson Grand Slam Track (GST) in Kingston, Jamaica.

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There, she blazed through the 400m hurdles, clocking a world-leading 52.76 seconds to claim the gold, and followed it up with another first-place finish in the 400m flat in 50.32 seconds.

Her winning streak continued across the GST circuit. In Miami and Philadelphia, McLaughlin-Levrone again demonstrated her remarkable versatility by stepping beyond her signature event.

Not only did she contest the 400m hurdles, but she also lined up for the 100m hurdles and 100m dash—proof of her drive to keep expanding her limits.

Now, as she prepares for her next major showdown at the Prefontaine Classic on July 5 at Hayward Field in Oregon, McLaughlin-Levrone has been candid about her mental approach to racing.

During a recent appearance on Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green’s podcast, she gave fans an intimate look at how she locks into a hyper-focused mindset before she even sets foot on the track.

Locked In and Unbothered: Headphones, Focus, and Pre-Race Rituals

When asked by Gatlin whether music plays a role in her pre-race preparation, McLaughlin-Levrone explained that headphones are more than just an accessory—they are an essential tool for blocking out the noise, literally and figuratively.

"Headphones on at all times. I can't hear what's going on outside of that. I'm completely locked in. It almost frustrates me if I have to take my headphones off, it actually frustrates me. Yeah, which, like, I think people around me have kind of learned, like, okay, leave her alone. I'm working. Unless it's like really serious, like but once you just get into that flow state of like, 'I'm locked in, I'm replaying the race in my head, I'm focused, I don't like to be disturbed,'" she shared.

For McLaughlin-Levrone, the switch flips as soon as she leaves her hotel room. "I am a bit more relaxed at training, but once I leave the hotel room for a race, everything until the race is done is focused on the race," she added.

Over the past three seasons, she has shattered world records and dominated the 400m hurdles, elevating the event to unprecedented visibility.

But even as she continues to push the boundaries in her main discipline, McLaughlin-Levrone remains determined to improve across multiple distances.

Beyond the 400m Hurdles: A Quest for All-Around Excellence

In Philadelphia, she stepped further outside her comfort zone, competing in the 100m hurdles and 100m sprint—evidence of her growing appetite to diversify her racing portfolio.

Reflecting on her ambitions before eventually closing out her career, she laid out her goals with clarity and conviction.

"I want to walk away from track and field having the best score sheet I can in terms of every event that I've run. So, I'm like, how can I get my 100m time faster? How can I get my 100m hurdle time faster, my 200m, my 400m, my 400m hurdles. It's like the hep without the hep. To me, that's fun. Being able to retire and be like, we didn't zone in on, but if we did, I could just imagine where we could have gone," she said.

Following the Prefontaine Classic, McLaughlin-Levrone’s schedule points toward the World Championships in Tokyo this September—a stage where she will once again showcase the laser focus and uncompromising drive that have made her one of the sport’s most formidable talents.