Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has opened up about her battle with fatigue, the mental challenges of elite competition, and her bold plans to rewrite history in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.
The American star, who recently wrapped up another outstanding season highlighted by a gold medal at the World Championships in Tokyo, continues to redefine excellence on the track. Her latest 400m performance cemented her as one of the sport’s most versatile athletes, stepping outside her usual hurdles event to clock an astonishing sub-48-second run—just shy of the world record.
Despite her monumental achievements, McLaughlin-Levrone remains candid about the toll that training at the highest level can take. She admits that maintaining world-class form demands long, intense sessions that push both her body and mind to the brink. Yet, rather than shying away from the fatigue, she embraces recovery and mental discipline as essential pillars of her success.
She explains that managing exhaustion begins with mastering the basics — proper nutrition, hydration, and, most importantly, sleep. When she feels drained or unmotivated, she focuses on taking things one step at a time, avoiding emotional overwhelm, and reminding herself to stay grateful for every opportunity to train and compete.
Equally vital to her process is recovery. McLaughlin-Levrone views rest as a non-negotiable aspect of performance, balancing her grueling workouts with deliberate downtime to recharge. She believes that pushing her limits on the track must always be matched with an equal commitment to rejuvenation. This balance, she says, is the key to sustained excellence.
Looking ahead, McLaughlin-Levrone’s ambitions remain as audacious as ever. She has set her sights on breaking the 400m world record while also aiming to become the first woman in history to dip below 49 seconds in the 400m hurdles — an unimaginable milestone just a few years ago.
For McLaughlin-Levrone, records are not just times to beat but mental barriers to dismantle. She believes that human limits are often defined by perception rather than potential, and she intends to keep proving that with hard work, recovery, and unwavering belief, even the most extraordinary goals are achievable.
