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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone        

USA Track & Field Athlete & Olympic Gold Medalist; Author, "Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith"

The youngest U.S. Olympian to compete in track and field since 1972, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a junior world record in the 400m hurdles at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She also won the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in the 400m hurdles, and is the current NCAA record-holder in the 400m hurdles. She broke her own World Record in the women's 400 meter hurdles to win the gold in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Named the Gatorade National Girls Athlete of the Year, two years in a row, McLaughlin-Levrone gave a moving—and headline-making—speech about how she overcame obstacles to become one of the top young track and field athletes in America.

Having left the University of Kentucky to pursue a professional career, McLaughlin-Levrone is also a face of New Balance.

Known for one of her personal mottos, "the only limit is myself," McLaughlin-Levrone offers empowering and inspiring remarks on overcoming every obstacle, perseverance, learning and evolving from your mistakes, staying open to new experiences, and the pursuit of success.

Speech Topics

Finding Purpose Through Faith

Sydney McLaughlin’s faith is a foundational aspect of everything she does and how she defines herself. In this talk, she shares her faith journey, and how God established her steps which helped her achieve the success she's had today. She shares her personal story as a beautiful representation of what is possible with God.

Overcoming Obstacles to Make Your Dreams Come True

Sydney McLaughlin inspires every audience with empowering and inspiring messages on overcoming obstacles, learning and evolving from your mistakes, and staying open to new experiences. McLaughlin helps us see that our dreams are possible with hard work, perseverance and determined pursuit.

News

Sydney McLaughlin on her World-Record 400m Hurdles run
Late last night, former Kentucky track star Sydney McLaughlin not only punched her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, she became the first woman to EVER run the 400-meter hurdles in under 52 seconds. McLaughlin’s time of 51.90 seconds shattered the previous record of 52.16 seconds, set by defending Olympic and world champion Dalilah Muhammad, who was in an adjacent lane. Muhammad set that record in the 2019 World Championships, beating McLaughlin out by 0.07 seconds. Despite the rivalry, Muhammad was the first to embrace McLaughlin after last night’s stunning performance.
Meet Sydney McLaughlin, 400m Hurdler on the U.S. Olympic Track Team
Sydney McLaughlin was only 17 years old when she made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games, becoming the youngest Olympic track and field athlete since 1972. As one of the U.S. Olympic team’s freshest faces, she didn’t make the 400m hurdles final in Rio, but she exceeded expectations. Now at age 21, McLaughlin will arrive in Tokyo with her eyes set on gold.
Sydney McLaughlin's Gold Rush
Five years after Rio, L’OFFICIEL’s July 2021 digital coverstar Sydney McLaughlin is back for another chance at an Olympic medal—this time with a new coach, a global ambassadorship with Tag Heuer, and a new outlook on life. “We had to fly out to Arizona for a month just so we could train consistently on a track because LA was still shut down,” she says to L’OFFICIEL over a Zoom call. “We just had to make the most of what we had, honestly."
Sydney McLaughlin and Team USA earn gold medal in 4x400-meter relay
Kentucky Wildcats track and field alumna Sydney McLaughlin and Team USA won a gold medal Saturday in the 4x400-meter relay in the final day of Olympic track & field competition. Team USA finished with a time of 3:16.85, with McLaughlin running the leadoff leg of the relay. McLaughlin did not run in the 4x400m relay heats due to their proximity to her gold medal-winning performance in the 400m hurdles, but Team USA finished with the fastest time (3:20.86). This is McLaughlin’s second gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after winning the 400m hurdles in world record time (51.46).

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