Did Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone go to college? All about her education before turning Pro

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the greatest stars the sport of Athletics has seen. She holds the world record in the women’s 400m hurdles, which she set at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a time of 50.37 seconds.

This was the sixth occasion when McLaughlin-Levrone bettered the world record with her remarkable performance in the 400m hurdles. As she continues to excel on the international circuit, many anticipate she will again break her mark in the coming years. Her long list of accomplishments at top international tournaments includes four Olympic golds and three World Championships gold medals.

Before rising to prominence on the international stage, McLaughlin-Levrone showed great potential at both the collegiate and high school levels. During the 2017-18 season, she attended the University of Kentucky, where she competed for the Wildcats, leading them to glory in collegiate competitions.

While representing the Kentucky Wildcats, she became the SEC champion in May 2018, clocking a record-breaking 52.75 seconds in the 400m hurdles as she set a new NCAA collegiate record. She followed up this achievement by winning the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 53.96 seconds.

McLaughlin-Levrone's collegiate career was short-lived as she turned professional in 2018 after signing with New Balance, the leading sports footwear and apparel brand. Despite her short stint at the college level, she has said many times her time at Kentucky played a crucial role in shaping her growth and success at the international level.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone returned to the University of Kentucky last month, for her induction into the institution’s 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame. In her Hall of Fame speech, she conveyed her gratitude for her time at the University of Kentucky. She said,

“My year here was hard, I'm not going to act like it wasn't as it is for many college athletes all over the country but I wouldn't change it for the world honestly. I would not be the woman I am if I had not attended the UK.”

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A look into Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s high school career

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in action during the Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1 at the Rio Olympics 2016 (Photo: Getty Images)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone studied at the Union Catholic High School from 2013 to 2017, pursuing athletics and education. During her time in high school, she collected 13 national titles, including 11 individual Meet of Champions victories and four hurdles championships at the New Balance National Championships.

Despite still being in high school, she represented the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 16 where she progressed to the semifinal heats, but couldn’t advance to the finals after finishing fifth in her heat with 56.22s. She had qualified for her first Olympic Games after placing third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, clocking 54.15s.

She was named the Gatorade Player of the Year twice while representing the Union Catholic.