"Majority of women play it up for the crowd...that’s just not me" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone slammed 'absurd' pre-race close-ups 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once shared that she wasn't a big fan of the camera close-ups before races, and did not feel comfortable with the routine. The four-time Olympic champion also revealed that despite trying, she wasn't able to wave or smile to the crowd.

McLaughlin-Levrone rose to prominence through her blistering runs in the school championships before winning the World Youth title in 2015. She clocked 54.46s at the following year's outdoor national championships to break the world youth record in 400m hurdles.

The 25-year-old's next challenge awaited at the US Olympic Trials, and despite being faster than the majority of the athletes competing, it was her first introduction to the professional circuit. McLaughlin-Levrone recalled feeling uncomfortable, and wrote in her 2024 memoir 'Far Beyond Gold: Running From Fear to Faith':

"The trials took race introductions to a whole new level for me. Blaring music. Walkouts. And camera close-ups. Those absurd close-ups when, one minute before the race, a cameraman scurries onto the track. Sometimes he highlights a few of the competitors."

"Other times, he starts in lane eight and works his way to lane one, bringing the camera within a foot or two of each runner, pausing for what seems like an uncomfortably long amount of time as the television commentators introduce each racer," she added.

The 400m hurdles world record holder also reflected on the introduction of athletes done by broadcasters, saying it felt like a grocery list, and while other athletes were able to smile and wave to the crowd when their name was called, she couldn't.

"They then announce each runner’s accolades, some as long as a grocery list. The majority of women play it up for the crowd. They smile. Wave. Even blow a kiss to show some personality. That’s just not me. Believe me, I’ve tried," Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said.

The 25-year-old finished third at the trials in 54.15 seconds and became the youngest American track and field athlete to qualify for the Olympics since 1980. However, she couldn't advance to the finals at the Rio Olympics and later confessed that she had deliberately lost her race in the semifinals.

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"I didn’t even try" - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on losing her semifinal race at the 2016 Rio Olympics

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in action - Source: Getty

Speaking about her semifinal race at the 2016 Rio Olympics in her memoir, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recalled that she was on pace to secure a spot in the finals but couldn't maintain her pace in the last stretch. The 25-year-old added that she didn't even try up the ante and slowed down instead.

"Halfway through the race, I was running well, within striking distance of the final. But at some point over the next 100 meters, my instinct abandoned me, and I was left with just my thoughts. It was the first time it ever disappeared on the track,"

"Around the final turn, my patented final push to the finish line didn’t show up. I didn’t even try to find it. Instead, I slowed down just enough to make sure I wouldn’t make it to the finals," Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said

However, the New Jersey native has since risen to become one of the greatest 400m hurdlers, having broken the world record in the distance a staggering six times. After losing out on the medal in Rio, McLaughlin-Levrone won back-to-back Olympic titles in the event.