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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's father, Willie Levrone, once revealed that it was he and his wife, Mary McLaughlin, who instilled Christian faith and values in their daughter, which she still holds even strongly. He also explained that they believed that these principles would guide her life
Sydney was born on August 7, 1999, in New Jersey, USA, the third of four children of former athletes. Like her parents, all of the children had a natural inclination toward athletics. However, Willie and Mary felt Sydney was special when they saw her run at the tender age of six.
The couple would go on to nurture her talent, which culminated in her 2021 world championship victory. Sydney first broke the 400m hurdles world record at the 2021 Olympic Trials, and a month later, she shattered the record again, securing a well-deserved gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The 25-year-old has broken this world record four more times since then, twice in 2024 alone, and has won another Olympic title. A constant theme following each of her victories has been her gratitude to God.
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In a 2023 Runnerspace.com op-ed, Sydney's father, Willie McLaughlin, emphasized the importance of faith in their family. He shared that faith guided him and his wife, and it was important for them to pass it on to their children.
“It is our Christian faith that guides my wife and I along this journey. And it is this same faith that we instilled in our kids,” he said.
He continued, “This is important to us because it dictates how we view the world and how we treat the many people that we encounter along the way. Life is not always easy, and we make mistakes now and then."
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claims faith has helped her succeed in her career
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shattered the 400m hurdles world record at the 2021 Olympic Trials, and a month later, she broke it again to claim Olympic gold. The 25-year-old continued her dominance three years later, running even faster times. She set a new world record of 51.65 seconds at the Olympic Trials and then eclipsed it once more, winning Olympic gold in 51.37 seconds at the Paris Olympics.
After running the world record at the Olympic trials, McLaughlin-Levrone stated that God had guided her. She added that her faith had given her the freedom to focus on the race.
"I'm just grateful for my faith, and to God for guiding me through all of that and finding my identity in him and not in myself or in my performance. I think that's given me so much freedom to just run the race. He's called me to it. And I think that this is testimony of just how much growth has taken place in me, not by my own strength, but by Him," she told Olympics.com
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's husband, Andre Levrone, is also deeply committed to the Christian faith. After forgoing a career in the NFL, he is currently pursuing religious studies at a seminary.
