"My group of friends whittled down to me myself and I"- When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recalled cutting off people for fear of being judged over faith

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once recalled that she cut off her relationships with every friend for fear of being judged over her faith. The three-time Olympian feeling disconnected from God during the time but has since grown a close relationship with Christianity.

McLaughlin-Levrone rose to prominence in 2016 after becoming one of the youngest American sprinters to qualify for the Olympic Games. She competed at the Rio Olympics, finishing as a semifinalist in the women's 400m hurdles.

The 25-year-old made her second appearance in 2021, at the Tokyo Olympics, setting the stadium ablaze with a world record run in the 400m hurdles finals. She won her maiden Olympic title in 51.97s before taking another gold in the 4x400m relay.

Interestingly, McLaughlin-Levrone was baptized a few months before the Olympic Games and has credited her success to her faith. However, her relationship with faith wasn't as close during her collegiate career. In her 2024 memoir, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, the 25-year-old recalled cutting off relationships with her friends after being asked about her faith.

"I couldn’t understand why she cared so much. As the tone of our conversations changed, I was uncomfortable having them. I started to steer clear of her, wanting to avoid any uncomfortable interrogations. I didn’t feel comfortable sharing these personal tidbits with her, mainly because I expected them to be met with disapproval. Looking back, it was a fear of judgment that drew me away from answering those questions. Her intention was to help draw me closer to God, but the last thing I wanted that year was more people in my business," she wrote

McLaughlin-Levrone added that she slowly began losing all of her friends.

"The opinions, comments, and continuous questions drove a wedge into our friendship, and as a result, my group of friends slowly whittled down to just me, myself, and I," she added

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone doesn't fear losing brand endorsements over her close relationship with the faith

Wanda Diamond League 2024 Final - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wins 200m (Source: Getty)

From cutting off her relationships over the fear of being judged to not caring about losing the endorsement because of her faith, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has come a long way.

The 25-year-old has been subjected to slight criticism over her constant glorification of God in her post-race interviews, but she remains unfazed. Shortly after winning two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone shut down the critics saying she didn't live for the approval of others.

"There's been a lot of talk that I received just about, you know, you may not want to talk so much about that. You might lose endorsements, you might lose deals this, that in the third. But I mean, I don't live for the approval of people, so I don't have to worry about any of those things. And even if an endorsement or something wants to leave, I know that God will provide for me in the way he sees fit," McLaughlin-Levrone said.

The 25-year-old continues to preach and practice her faith proudly, and so does her husband Andre Levrone, who aspires to be a pastor in the future.