"The road is not always going to be easy" - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone makes her feelings known about overcoming struggles as an athlete

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about her mindset while overcoming struggles as an athlete. She shared that she always loved pushing her boundaries and going out of her comfort zone to put forward her best performance every time she stepped on the track to compete.

McLaughlin-Levrone successfully defended her Olympic title in the women's 400m hurdles in Paris, setting a new world record. Her formidable performance in the quadrennial games, with her sixth consecutive world record, elevated her to one of the greatest athletes to compete in the women's 400m hurdles.

However, McLaughlin-Levrone suffered multiple shortcomings in her career. She spoke about overcoming those while sending a message to young girls in her latest interview with World Athletics. The American athlete revealed that she always had the mindset to improve every day while training and expressed how she was aware that the journey to the pinnacle of the sport would be tough.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone persevered through tough times and handled tough situations with a positive mindset, which, she revealed, helped her to become a better person on and off the track.

"I love pushing boundaries in general whether its in track and field or just in life and so Being able to step on the track every single day and figure out how to be better than I was the day before is something I pride myself on and I want to continue doing so and show that it is possible with hard work and determination," she said.

"The road is not always going to be easy, but it’s about your attitude and how you face those challenges that is going to shape you—as a person, as a woman, and as an athlete. I think that I learnt that you need people to come alongside and help you through that and I'm grateful to have a great support system around me," she added.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on being criticized for her on-track persona

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wins the 400m at Wanda Diamond League 2024 Final - Allianz Memorial Van Damme Brussels - Source: Getty

In an interview with Grand Slam Track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about being criticized for her on-track persona. The Olympic gold medalist shared that she has received several comments about her serious personality before races.

McLaughlin-Levrone stated that she tries to maintain her focus and remains in the zone before the commencement of the race so as to put forth her best performance on the track.

"I get a lot of flack for not showing enough personality on the track but its because I'm trying to give you all the best performances possible. If you want the personality. You're going to have to get it here. This is it. Pick one, we can't have both. Ok, thank you," she said.

Furthermore, McLaughlin-Levrone stated how having a calm and composed attitude before the race helps her to deal with the nervousness as well as the pressure of competing on the global stage.