“Felt like lead-up to electric chair” - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up on gripping fear she faced before maiden Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once opened up on the gripping fear she faced before competing in her maiden Olympic Games. The fear was such that she even considered skipping her first Olympics despite earning qualification for the event.

McLaughlin-Levrone made her first Olympic team after an impressive show at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. After winning both her semi-final and qualification heat, she came third with a time of 54.15s in the final, only behind Dalilah Muhammad and Ashley Spencer, who recorded times of 52.88s and 54.02s respectively, to book her place.

In her memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about the intense fear she felt ahead of her first Olympics in Rio. Despite not being expected to win, the pressure came from within as she was used to winning so much that the idea of failing at the world's biggest stage terrified her. She said in her book:

“No one would be disappointed, even if I didn’t make it through the first round. Still, I felt like I couldn’t just relax and enjoy the moment. I couldn’t shake the fear and embrace my dad’s perspective on what I was about to experience…Winning had come naturally to me over the years. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d run a race without expecting to win it. I was the girl who got to the finish line first.”

She then described her departure for Rio as a 'lead-up to the electric chair', adding:

“And because I saw myself that way, I was petrified of the Olympics, where I was almost guaranteed to come up short. The month-long buildup until my departure for Rio truly felt like a lead-up to the electric chair."

Now, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the discipline, Sydney McLaughlin was a semi-finalist at the Rio Olympics.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on her thoughts after crossing finish line in 400m hurdles final at Paris Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Paris Olympics 2024 (Photo: Getty Images)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone collected her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 400m hurdles event by slashing the world record for the sixth time with an impressive 50.37s in the final.

In her appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show in September 2024 after the Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone reflected on the thoughts going through her mind after crossing the finish line. The 25-year-old said (1:13 onwards):

“Oh, I mean, it's just relief. You work so hard all your life for moments that, for us, last 50 seconds. There's such a buildup, so much anticipation, that when you cross that line and see the time, you're just like, ‘God, thank you for delivering me through this,’ honestly.”

In the final, McLaughlin-Levrone placed well ahead of the other parcipants, with her compatriot Anna Cockrell and Dutch sprinter Femke Bol registering times of 51.87s and 52.15s to earn the silver and bronze, respectively.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s journey at the Paris Olympics didn’t end there. She went on to play a huge role in the USA team’s victory in the women’s 4x400m relay, setting an American record in the process.