"It says 'All 4 God' and before any race, I put on like getting ready for war" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone revealed her special necklace

American track and field icon, Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone, once revealed that she puts on a necklace before every race that makes her feel like a gladiator heading for a war. Wearing it, she broke the 400-meter hurdles world record multiple times, making it especially meaningful for her.

The New Jersey native appeared on GQ Sports' YouTube channel in January 2023, where she discussed the things she cannot live without. During the conversation, she mentioned a necklace inscribed with "All 4 God," highlighting her deep faith in God.

She shared that before every race she thinks about it and what she is about to accomplish. She also mentioned the necklace has been with her since the first time she broke the world record.

"My next essential item is my necklace; it says 'All 4 God,"' she said. "Right before any race, I kind of just think about it and focus on what it is I'm doing and what I'm going out there to do, which is glorify and honor God.

"I ordered this actually right before the Olympic trials last year just as something I could put on kind of like getting ready for war almost. Just like the watch this, I've had since the first world record." [5:17 onwards]

Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone took her Olympic medal count to four at this year's Summer Games in Paris, where she broke the 400m hurdles world record sixth time to clinch the gold medal with a time of 50.37 seconds.

Furthermore, she also helped Team United States win their eighth consecutive women's 4x400m relay gold with a new American best time of 3:15.27 seconds.

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"I could vividly hear God in a couple instances" - When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone discussed her faith

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Wanda Diamond League 2024 Final in Brussels (Image via Getty)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone often attributes her success to the almighty. However, she once revealed that she had to set her faith aside to discover herself.

"For a long time growing up, I viewed being a follower of Christ as you can't do this, you can do this; these are your restrictions and limitations of what's good and what's bad, but I didn't think there was any freedom in that, and I was afraid that in doing that I would be handing over my individuality and identity," she told Sports Spectrum (0:10 onwards)

"So I kind of put that off and just walked in the world and lived a very secular life, and it never fulfilled me, it never sustained me, and I could vividly hear God in a couple instances just be like, Are you done? like are you ready to give your life over to me? Are you ready to let me have the control?

"And I would literally tell him ''no" because I wasn't sure in doing that it would turn out the way I wanted it to turn out," she added.

During that period, she was advised not to talk about her faith openly, as it could be a potential harm to her image.