The Standard August 17, 2024
No doubt, the Paris Olympics left us with countless highs and lows, expectations met and unmet, personal stories of overcoming adversity, and priceless surprises. Although I did not see even one quarter of the coverage, nowhere did I notice such a spiritual component as across the sport of track and field.
Twenty-five-year-old American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has dominated the women’s 400-meter hurdles since 2020, winning gold in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics as well as at 2022 Worlds. Last week she became the first track athlete in history to break six world records in the same event.
Her calm demeanor, humility and faith were evident in Paris post-race interviews. After winning her semifinal, the NBC reporter mentioned her following and trusting her coach’s plan and asked her to explain how she could focus and execute every hurdle as she sought her goal. “That’s all you can do. You work all year to get here. What you’ve done is what keeps you here. So, it’s just about executing that, trusting the process, trusting the plan and ultimately trusting God,” she replied.
Asked about her face lighting up from seeing her husband’s face on the Jumbotron, she raved, “My best friend. My biggest supporter. My personal pastor. I love him more than life itself.”
Immediately after repeating Olympic gold, her sister-in-law in the stands gave Sydney a gold tiara. Sydney smiled and graciously held it without putting it on. She walked around holding the tiara and the American flag. It was only after her husband really encouraged her to let the tiara be put on her head that she did.
So, how did this humble athlete become this way? “Honestly, I didn’t even understand the importance or the purpose of Jesus and how all that played out. So, it was a lot more of religious just right and wrong versus true relationship and connection and intimacy, but I didn’t think there was any freedom in that. And I was afraid that in doing that I would be handing over my individuality and my identity. So, I kind of put that off and just walked in the world and lived a very secular life and it never fulfilled me. It never sustained me, and I could vividly hear God in a couple of instances just be like, ‘Are you done? Are you ready to give your life over to me? Are you ready to let me have control?’ And I would literally tell Him ‘no.’”
Growing up in church every Sunday and raised by her parents with biblical principles, faith only became personal, a “real relationship,” during COVID. Sydney was forced to spend more time alone. She began reading the Bible and listening to sermons. Jesus gave her a new perspective on everything. In late 2020 she met future husband and former NFL player Andre Levrone, who invited her to a Bible Study.
“He truly is a man of character and everything that he does, he makes sure it aligns with Jesus and what He would have done. And I think that’s such a noble thing to do, especially in today’s age where it’s not very common to be a Christian. It’s not very common to walk out of that lifestyle. But to not be afraid of culture and to truly abide in that and truly live that out, is rare.”
Sydney and Andre have their eyes fixed on the true reward. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
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