Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Breaks Silence on Pregnancy as She Eyes Historic Olympic Double at LA 2028

Women’s 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is embracing a new pace of life after a whirlwind year and a half of record-breaking performances.

The decorated sprinter is temporarily stepping away from the track to prioritise her growing family and a deeply personal health campaign.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been a dominant force in athletics, shattering her own world record to win 400-meter hurdles gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and securing her first world title in the 400-meter flat at the 2025 World Championships.

However, her focus has now shifted following a joyous announcement in January, she and her husband, Andre Levrone Jr., are expecting their first child this summer.

"Track and field is taking the backseat in my life for the first time in a long time, which I’m really excited about," Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone told USA TODAY.

While she plans to continue training safely throughout her pregnancy, she acknowledged that competing in the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in September is likely "not in the cards."

Instead, her immediate priorities are a healthy pregnancy and family time, with her sights set on a return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Her break from competition has also allowed Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to launch the "On Track with HCM" campaign in partnership with Cytokinetics.

She is joined by her father, Willie McLaughlin, a former elite athlete who battled hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) for decades before receiving a life-saving heart transplant in 2021.

HCM is the most common inherited heart disease, characterised by an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle that can impede blood flow and lead to severe complications like heart failure. While treatable, it is not curable.

Willie McLaughlin's diagnosis came as a shock. A three-time All-American at Manhattan College and a 400-meter semifinalist at the 1984 US Olympic Trials, he was 25 and no longer competing when an echocardiogram revealed the condition.

"You want to be there and be able to support and help where you can, and there's only so much you can do," she said. Her father's journey showed her that sometimes, slowing down is not a weakness but a necessity.

"There has to be a balance of both things," McLaughlin-Levrone concluded. "Some things just actually need attention and care and rest. And that's something, whether it’s when my dad was going through things, and he needed to just take some time and really recover... or even when it comes to the track."

While taking her journey one step at a time, McLaughlin-Levrone has her sights firmly set on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The track and field superstar is contemplating a historic double, an ambition that presents significant logistical challenges based on the current competition schedule.

Her primary goal, a sweep of the 400m hurdles and the 400m flat, would require her to compete in both events on the same day twice, on July 18 and July 20.

An alternative plan, doubling in the 400-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash, appears more feasible but would still demand a gruelling schedule of races on five consecutive days. Despite the hurdles, McLaughlin-Levrone remains optimistic and is not ruling out any possibilities.

"I wouldn't say it's in the back of my mind. I think it's always towards the front, to be honest," she stated. "I'm definitely looking ahead towards 2028. That’s definitely on my mind frequently."

She emphasised that her return to the track is contingent on a healthy pregnancy and recovery. "I'm hopeful that if all that goes well, and training through 2027 also goes well, that maybe there is a world for a double," she added. "So, as I said, one day at a time, and hopefully things progress positively."