How Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Runs on Faith and Finds Strength Beyond the Track

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone knows what it feels like to be the fastest, to shatter records, and to stand atop the Olympic podium draped in gold. But for the world’s greatest 400-meter hurdler, true victory isn’t found in a stopwatch. It’s in faith.

“For a long time, my identity was in track and field,” McLaughlin-Levrone told the Associated Press in the run up to the U.S. Olympic trials in June 2024. “But I realized that first and foremost, I’m a child of God. It set me free to run the race God has set out for me to run.”

At the age of just 24, McLaughlin-Levrone has accomplished what most athletes can only dream of—Olympic gold medals, world records, and dominance on the track. But as she shares in her 2024 memoir Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, her greatest transformation didn’t happen on the track; it happened in her heart—capturing the age-old triumph of faith over fear.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s relationship with faith has evolved throughout her journey as an elite athlete. Raised in a Christian family in Dunellen, New Jersey, she always believed in God, but for much of her career, she struggled with pressure, perfectionism and the overwhelming fear of failure.

“I convinced myself that I was put on this earth to win,” she writes in her book. “And in order to receive love and respect from others, I had to finish first. If I didn’t, what good was I?”

This fear became a defining moment at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where, at just 16 years old, she reached the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles. With a chance to qualify for the final, doubt crept in mid-race, paralyzing her. She lost focus, and for the first time, she felt no desire to win.

“I found myself actually formulating full sentences inside my head as I endured one of the most physically grueling minutes in sports,” she told Women’s Running magazine. It’s been such a long season. I made it further than I thought I would. No one is going to be mad at me. Just be done. And just like that, I threw the race.”

Years later, McLaughlin-Levrone still thinks about that moment. But rather than regret, she now sees it as a turning point in her remarkable transformational journey.

After Rio, McLaughlin-Levrone faced a series of challenges: emotional lows from losses, a breakup, and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Searching for clarity, she turned to faith with new urgency.

“I felt like I was running from God for years,” she told the NBC morning show TODAY in January 2024. “That’s when I was like, ‘God, I surrender it to you. I don’t know what this looks like. I don’t know what it means. Just show me what you’re trying to show me.’”

That moment of surrender changed everything. When she let go of the need for perfection and placed her trust in God, she found the freedom she had been chasing all along. The results soon followed—two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and multiple world records.

Her faith also led her to love. McLaughlin-Levrone credits her husband, former NFL player Andre Levrone Jr., with helping her grow spiritually. His deep commitment to Christianity inspired her, and together, they built a foundation rooted in faith.

“By God’s grace, I was a new person,” she writes in her memoir. “I knew if I was going to honor Him as I moved from girlfriend to wife, I was going to have to let go of my anxiety and trust God even when the future was unknown.”

For McLaughlin-Levrone, faith isn’t just a source of strength—it’s a daily practice. She prays before every race with her coach, trainer, and husband. She shares devotionals and reflections on Instagram with her 1 million followers.

“That means being in the word, being in prayer, keeping that in the forefront and allowing that to be what centers my mind and not the outside voices of the world,” she told the Associated Press.

Her reliance on faith also aligns with research. According to Baylor University sociology professor Laura Upenieks, athletes with a secure connection to God experience lower levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. They are less likely to tie their self-worth to public approval and more likely to find fulfillment beyond their performance.

That perspective has helped McLaughlin-Levrone reconcile two seemingly opposing forces—being a fierce competitor while embracing the humility and grace of her Christian faith.

“My life wasn’t about me,” she told Women’s Running, highlighting the role her faith has played in running for a greater purpose. “It was about showing the world God’s power, wisdom, kindness, love, and forgiveness.”

As the 2024 Paris Olympics approached, McLaughlin-Levrone prepared for another chance to make history. But for her, winning gold is no longer the ultimate goal.

“I want my readers to know that I’ve had my fears and I get anxious just like everyone else,” she says of her memoir. “But you can overcome that. You can let go of fear and be ready for the biggest stage.”

Her story is proof that true success isn’t found in records, medals, or the validation of others—it’s found in faith.

“His overwhelming grace, love, and truth shattered my pursuit of perfection and people-pleasing,” she wrote in a September 2023 message on Instagram, where she has 1.5 million followers and her bio reads “Jesus is Lord”. “I pray that Far Beyond Gold will encourage you to conquer your fears, stand firm in your faith, and see just how much freedom is truly possible with Christ at the center of your life.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is still running the race. One big difference is that now she’s running with a purpose far beyond gold.

Photo credits: McLaughlin-Levrone at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon by Erik van Leeuwen via Wikimedia Commons. GNU Free Documentation License, v. 1.2