"My jaw couldn’t help but drop...I think I cried a little" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about meeting Allyson Felix for first time

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once recalled that she was overwhelmed with emotions following a surprise first meeting with track and field legend Allyson Felix. Felix is one of the most decorated sprinters in history with seven Olympic and 14 world titles to her name.

McLaughlin-Levrone hails from an athletic family and was impressive in athletics from a young age, breaking several age groups during her early career. She attended the Union Catholic Regional High School, where she became the school's first student to win the Gatorade Player of the Year award twice.

The 25-year-old met Felix while receiving one of the Player of the Year awards ahead of the Rio Olympics and described her experience as surreal. Recalling the moment she met the seven-time Olympic champion in her 2024 memoir 'Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith', she wrote:

"As I rounded the bleachers that were blocking my view of the rest of the track, I heard the faintest, 'Hey, Sydney.' As I turned to see who was calling for me, my jaw couldn’t help but drop. I was in complete disbelief. I had watched and admired Allyson for years. Now there she was, holding the Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year trophy, ready to present me with it."

McLaughin-Levrone had admired Felix since the 2008 Beijing Olympics and cried a little about getting to meet the sprinting icon.

"I don’t remember what I said, if anything. It was the first time I’d ever met Allyson. I think I cried a little. Smiled a lot. It was a surreal moment," Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone added.

The pair competed together at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. While McLaughlin-Levrone didn't win any medals in Rio, she won the women's 4x400m relay gold medal with Felix in Tokyo.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone win 2 gold medals at 2024 Paris Olympics

Wanda Diamond League 2024 Final - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in action (Image: Getty)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone finished as a semifinalist in the 400m hurdles at the 2016 Rio Olympics and went on to break the world record in the event at the next edition of the Games. The 25-year-old clocked 51.45s to win the 400m hurdles gold in Tokyo while securing the gold medal in women's 4x400m relay.

The 25-year-old repeated the Tokyo script in Paris, winning both the 400m hurdles and the women's 4x400m relay with a world record. She ran a blistering 50.37s for the world record to win her second 400m hurdles title before running the fastest 4x400m split since 1982 (47.71s) to win the relay gold. It was the third fastest in history and fastest by an American runner.