"You are loved before and after..you're secure in Christ"- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on what she would tell her 17-year-old self competing in Olympics

American hurdling icon Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently said that she would have told her younger self, who was competing at the Rio Olympics in 2016, that she was loved and secure in God. She is now a four-time Olympic medalist.

In 2016, McLaughlin-Levrone became the youngest American athlete at the age of 16 to qualify for the Olympics since the boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. However, she did not medal at the Rio Olympics that year. The 25-year-old grabbed the headlines during the Tokyo Olympic trials, where she not only defeated the 400m defending champion Dalilah Muhammad but also broke the world record with a time of 51.90 seconds.

The US star then went on to dethrone Muhammad at the Tokyo Games to secure the gold medal with a new world record time of 51.46 seconds. She also contributed to her team's 4x400m relay victory.

The Dunellen, New Jersey, native replicated her Tokyo performance at this year's Paris Olympics, where she broke the world record for the sixth time to defend her 400m hurdles title. In addition, she helped the American team win their eighth consecutive 4x400m relay gold with a new national record finish.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone recently appeared on Today Show on Wednesday, September 25, where she was asked what she would tell her younger self before her first Olympics. She replied that she would have reminded herself that she is loved and that God was with her irrespective of the outcome of the race.

"Your value is not placed in whether you win or lose this race," she said. "You are loved before, and after you are secure in Christ and you get to go do what you love and glorify God on that stage."

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"It says 'All 4 God' and before any race, I put it on" - A possession that makes Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone feel like going 'for war'

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

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone once revealed that she has a special necklace that is inscribed with 'All 4 God' which she reflects on before every race. She also mentioned that it makes her feel like a warrior going to war.

She was quoted as saying in 2023 (via the GQ Sports YouTube channel):

"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," She added [5:17 onwards]

McLaughlin-Levrone also revealed that the necklace has been with her since she broke the world record for the first time.