Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has attributed her record-crushing performance at the 2024 Olympics to divine inspiration. Following her stunning victory in the 400-meter hurdles, which earned her a second consecutive gold medal, McLaughlin-Levrone was open about crediting her athletic feats to her faith. “Everything I do, I credit to God,” she said. “He has bestowed upon me a gift, a determined spirit, and I just want to keep growing and utilizing my platform to glorify Him.”
In the crucial moments just before a race, McLaughlin-Levrone turns to prayer. She asks to be an instrument of divine magnificence, through her ability or her conduct. “Knowing that no matter what the outcome, He will receive the praise, that’s the reason I do what I do,” the champion articulated.
McLaughlin-Levrone shattered her previous world record at the Paris Olympics, setting a new time of 50.37 seconds in the women’s 400-meter hurdle. In doing so, she not only broke the previous record she’d set at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but also marked her name in the annals of track and field as a female champion unlike any other.
A regular churchgoer at a non-denominational, evangelical community in Los Angeles, McLaughlin-Levrone extends her faith-based outlook to her public persona, profusely acknowledging her beliefs in interviews and social media posts alike. Reflecting on her journey to the Olympics, she posted on Instagram about the testing times she endured along the way, her faith being her guiding light throughout. She concluded powerfully, saying, “I no longer run for self-recognition, but to mirror His perfect will… Records come and go. The glory of God is eternal. Thank you, Father.”