"Feel like I'm moving in the wrong direction" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about facing self-doubt while struggling with hurdles

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once revealed how she struggled with a phase of self-doubt and frustration in her career. She described the moments when progress in hurdles felt out of reach, highlighting the emotional toll of stagnation in her performance.

At just 16, McLaughlin-Levrone became the youngest US track and field Olympian since 1972, setting a world junior record in 400m hurdles during the 2016 Olympic Trials. In 2022, she shattered the 400m hurdles world record again, clinching gold at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Despite her success, she faced significant challenges in mastering the precise technique needed to clear the hurdles.

In January 2024, she published her book "Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith," chronicling her struggles during a pivotal transition in her career.

In her book, she highlighted the challenges of sustaining peak performance in hurdles, reflecting on the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, where she finished second in the 400m hurdles behind Dalilah Muhammad, who set a new world record.

"I opened up to Bobby [Kersee]. 'For the first time in my track career, I feel like I'm going backward,' I said. I've always prided myself on progressing every year, but for some reason, I really feel like I'm moving in the wrong direction," she wrote.

She revealed how coach Bob Kersee helped her identify the root of her struggles by introducing a 'wheel of emotions,' which guided her through processing her feelings. This led her to choose Kersee as her coach.

This year, she competed at the Paris Olympics, securing two gold medals in the hurdles events.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on breaking 400m hurdles world record at Paris Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone during the 2024 Paris Olympics/ Source: Instagram/ @sydneymclaughlin16

Following Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's record-breaking performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she told Olympics.com that she enjoys pushing boundaries and exploring new limits.

At the Games, she secured two gold medals: one in the women's 400m hurdles, setting a new world record of 50.37s, and another as part of the US women's 4x400m relay team.

In an interview with Olympics.com, she said:

"I kind of treat every meet like it's its own. So, you know, this is my first time in Paris racing for this Olympic gold, so I was just treating it like this was my first time here and trying to go for it the same way." (0:18 onwards)

"I think the fact that there is always more than can be done, you know, there's always ways to improve, and I love trying to figure out what those are and push myself to try to break those barriers and boundaries."

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also said she would be honored to compete at the 2028 LA Olympics.