The 2024 Annual World Athletics Awards brought plenty of drama, with some nail-biting battles between track stars. In the Female Track Athlete of the Year category, it was down to two heavyweights: Julien Alfred and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Both crushed it at the Paris Olympics, writing their names into the sport’s history books. But on this glittery December 1st, it was Sydney—the queen of hurdles—who snagged the crown. Yet, the buzz wasn’t just about her big win. Nope, it was her mic-drop revelation on stage that really stole the show.

When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stepped up to claim her award, all smiles and grace, the crowd went wild. But then came that question: What’s the plan for next year? Everyone probably expected a confident game plan. Instead, the 25-year-old stunned us all with, “Honestly, I don’t even know!” Cue the collective gasp. The confession spread faster than a 400m world record, sparking more chatter than her actual win. Go figure, right?

Funny enough, this isn’t Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s first brush with a “didn’t see that coming” moment. Back in 2015-16, she bagged the Gatorade National Female Athlete of the Year award at just 16. It was huge—exactly the kind of motivation she needed before diving into her first Olympic adventure. But as we know, Sydney’s journey has always had its own unique twists and turns.

In her book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone narrates how people’s expectations punctured her enjoyment of winning the title. She mentions the press conference, where people were more interested in her Olympic preparation than her achievement. “The press was more interested in my upcoming shot at the Olympics than the award I’d just won. They wanted to talk about my chances in Rio more than my accomplishments the previous year,” she pens. But she knew about the suitable activity to change the narrative. She explained that part by penning, “I tried to shrug off all the Olympic talk, acting as if the trials were no big deal.” But the questions chased her. Even Sydney had to try her best to duck such questions. 

Just one year before the Rio Olympics, the New Jersey native was in no mood to talk about her preparation. Rather, she tried to convince people that she wasn’t feeling any pressure about entering her biggest track test. At the age of 15 or 16, that convincing act must have been hard for her. However, SML found it easy to serve the public what they wanted to hear. 

In front of the press, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued to flaunt her brave face, hiding her tensions about entering the Olympics. She wanted to talk about her accomplishments. But the questions hurled at her pushed her to give false replies. She felt no remorse in that. Rather, in the book, she unequivocally adds, “Pretending I wasn’t feeling any of the weight was a way to cope. And I was good at it. I could convince others that I was fearless. I had a great poker face. Over the years, I’d learned how to project that version of myself even when I was feeling the weight of the world.” By then, she had a commendable sense of what the general populace wanted to hear. 

In the meantime, Sydney continued to do that. She didn’t mind wearing one or two extra layers to hide her main face. According to her, it had been the ‘separation between her inward emotions and outward demeanor.’ Moreover, for her, it had been a step toward being sounded as ‘mature’ while she was trying to stay ‘a kid inside.’ But the question is, did this act help her in the Rio Olympics or have a role in the long run? 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has gone through so many transformations

In Rio, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had chances to emerge as a potential candidate for greatness. However, in her track option, the then-teenage athlete failed to make an impact. She had to see the exit from the tournament after losing in the semi-finals of the women’s 400m hurdles. But that was not all. During her time in the Brazilian capital, she learned much more than just what was needed for the competition. In the outside world, she had no choice but to present herself as mature. In Rio, Sydney had the freedom to spend her days however she wanted. 

In the same book, she explains the entire timeline. There, she points out, “With my event behind me, I felt free to just be a kid. I moved from the Olympic Village to the apartment where my parents were staying. We explored the city and attended as many events as we could, including diving and the 100-meter sprint, where Usain Bolt won yet another gold medal.” Those visuals made her choose her correct route. 

And then there came the Olympic closing ceremony. Unlike many others, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone took it to be another source of her learning. On the pages of her book, she reveals those bundles of emotions: “I forgot all the fear and hardships that had been part of my Olympic journey. Maybe, I thought, it had all been worth it.” At last, she had her moments, finding the meaningfulness of her activities. In the later years, this realization helped her to win the peaks.