“I was crammed between strangers”- When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recalled her ‘miserable’ flight to Rio Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once opened up on her rough flight while flying to Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics. On her way to her Olympic debut, McLaughlin-Levrone took her first-ever eight-and-a-half-hour flight.

However, she didn’t realize she could request a specific type of seat before the USATF. With the national governing body having previously booked a middle seat for her, she endured a miserable journey. In Chapter Three of her memoir, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, she reflected on the rough flight experience, adding:

“I had a middle seat on the flight. All the way in the back of the plane. Big mistake. I had not chosen this seat for myself; it was booked by USA Track and Field after the trials. I didn’t know I could be more specific with my preference on a seat. The flight was miserable.”

She further described how the limited space made the journey uncomfortable. What made it even worse was that the other travelers sitting near her were constantly coughing and sneezing.

“I was crammed between strangers who spent the entire flight sneezing and coughing. It was like one of those movie scenes where you think, That doesn’t happen in real life. I can confirm; it really does happen,” she further mentioned.

This resulted in her developing a fever just one day after arriving in Rio which ultimately weakened her body. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone went on to finish fifth in her semifinal heat, failing to qualify for the final in Rio.

Now a four-time Olympic champion, McLaughlin-Levrone has shattered the women’s 400m hurdles world record on six occasions overall.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone revealed her favorite world record among six feats she has achieved

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

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone chose her first world record at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials as her favorite among the six she has set. In an interview with World Athletics taken in December 2024, she shared why it was a special one, saying:

“I think you can’t ever beat the first time. It was the first moment of realizing that my childhood dreams came true. Going under 52, all that hard work, seeing it come to fruition - I don’t think I’ll ever get past it.”

“Realizing that barrier was possible to break. Learning about myself as an athlete. That race, for me, was the stepping stone. We then were able to see that we could push this further and further,” the New Jersey native also shared.

At the 2021 Olympic trials, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone produced a statement victory against the Rio Olympics gold medalist and compatriot, Dalilah Muhammad, in the final by running a remarkable 51.90s in the final and shattering Muhammad’s previous world record of 52.16s.