Track and field powerhouse Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has found herself in the spotlight for the unbelievable feats she has pulled off so far. The Paris Olympics witnessed her dominate the hurdles and relays, paving the path for two golds and jaw-dropping records.
But throughout her experience across the three Olympic games she participated in, McLaughlin-Levrone admits how special Paris was. Debuting in Rio at 17, she was still new to the experience, and it wasn’t until the games at the French capital rolled in eight years later that she finally got the hang of it.
Participating in the Olympics can be an overwhelming experience in itself, and the hurdle champion revealed the challenges she went through at the Jennifer Hudson Show. Recalling her experience during her debut, she compared it with her recent competition.
“At Rio, I was 17 years old and was thrown into the world stage not knowing what to expect. I think I’ve learned so much since then that now I can understand what it takes to compete at this level.“
She mentioned how the Tokyo Olympics were also a stepping stone in her career, with her trying her best to figure out the competition and her strengths.
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It wasn’t until the Paris Olympics rolled in that she finally got a wholesome experience of the two-week-long event while being fully prepared and mentally charged.
“I think that experience and that in Tokyo as well just kinda prepared me for Paris. And this was my first full real Olympics, I feel like.“
But the Olympics weren’t the only event that saw McLaughlin-Levrone ace through competitions like no tomorrow. The 25-year-old recently wished to participate at the Brussels Diamond League, and while she couldn’t qualify for the finals event, things took a turn in her favor anyway.
McLaughlin-Levrone stuns at an invitational race further away from her forte
Fans know the champion for her dominance on the track across hurdles and long-distance sprints—the two events that she participated in at the Paris Olympics. But she hadn’t attempted flat sprinting in a while and didn’t know what to expect when she recently got the opportunity.
When McLaughlin-Levrone expressed her desire to compete, the Brussels Diamond League initially couldn’t have her on board for the finals. As a requirement, she would’ve needed to participate in the previous Diamond League meets, which she didn’t.
However, they wanted her to visit and participate in a special Invitational race — a 200m and 400m double run. Not only did she win at the event, but McLaughlin-Levrone also proved why she had been dominating the track for a while now.
Her timing at the invitational race was faster than that of the finals winner —a feat only an Olympic champion could smoothly pull off.
