Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a name that echoes through track and field history like a thunderclap. Olympic gold medalist, world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles, and a beacon of dominance in her sport, she’s the kind of athlete who makes jaws drop and crowds roar. Her resume sparkles with accolades, two Olympic golds, multiple world championships, and a legacy that’s already cemented her as one of the greatest. But as she prepares to debut in the Prefontaine Classic, running 400m flat at the 50th edition of the competition on 5 July, let’s rewind the clock to her early days as a pro, and you’ll find a different story, one of struggle, exhaustion, and a brutal lesson in what it takes to compete on the global stage. In her book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith , McLaughlin-Levrone pulls back the curtain on her first Diamond League race in Shanghai, a 400-meter open event that tested her in ways she never imagined. How does a future legend stumble so hard out of the gate?
The Diamond League is the pinnacle of professional track and field, a global circuit of meets stretching from Doha to Lausanne, where the world’s best battle for points and prestige. It’s a grueling, year-long gauntlet, perfectly suited for tune-ups before or after major championships like the Olympics or World Championships. For McLaughlin-Levrone, a young pro fresh off her collegiate career, the Shanghai meet in 2017 was her chance to dip her toes into this elite world. But why did she choose a race halfway across the globe for her debut?
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s 400m Hurdles Final – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of United States celebrates with her national flag after winning gold and a new world record. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Shanghai was a bold choice. “That’s why I went to the Diamond League event in Shanghai,” McLaughlin-Levrone writes in Far Beyond Gold. “I’d never been to China before, and my body didn’t adjust well to the long flight and unique food.” The open 400-meter race, no hurdles, just pure speed, was set for 8 p.m. local time, but for her body, still synced to Los Angeles, it was 4 a.m. Jet lag was only the start. The unfamiliar cuisine hit her hard, and she dropped five pounds during the trip, an unhealthy loss that left her depleted. “I’d lost five pounds by the end of the trip, which was unhealthy in more ways than one,” she recalls. As she stepped onto the track, her body screamed for rest. Could she even stay awake for the race?
Well, picture this: a young McLaughlin-Levrone, warming up under the Shanghai stadium lights, yawning uncontrollably. “I remember yawning while I warmed up and thinking, I might actually fall asleep while I run,” she writes. Minutes before the gun, she was chugging coffee, desperate for a spark. Exhaustion wasn’t just a feeling, it was a physical weight. When the race began, her body betrayed her. “When the gun sounded, I felt like I was running on sand. My legs felt like bricks. My arms felt like rubber bands.” She nearly collided with another runner, a moment of chaos she’d never experienced before. “I almost ran into a woman from being so exhausted. I’d never done that before. Can’t imagine I’ll ever do it again.” How could she claw her way back from such a disastrous start?
Halfway through the race, at the 200-meter mark, something clicked. McLaughlin-Levrone found her rhythm, her legs finally responding. But the leader was too far ahead. Digging deep, she surged down the homestretch, her body screaming but her will unbroken. She crossed the finish line in second place, a remarkable feat given the circumstances. “I managed to make up some time down the homestretch, laboring across the finish line in second place,” she writes. It wasn’t the victory she dreamed of, but it was a testament to her grit. For a young athlete, this was more than a race, it was a crash course in the professional circuit. What lessons would she carry forward from this grueling experience?
For Sydney McLaughlin, the experience was a learning one
The Shanghai race was a great experience “It was quite an introduction to professional life,” McLaughlin-Levrone reflects. She learned two critical lessons that still guide her today. First, always bring your own food. “Other countries have their customs and normal diets; your stomach may not always agree. Nor your taste buds. So bringing my own snacks and food became a must.” Second, prioritize recovery. “My body needed more time to adjust to the time change, more sleep than I had received, and more nutrients than I was feeding it.” These weren’t just tips, they were survival strategies for the global circuit. Local meets back home, like those in her native New Jersey, were one thing, but the Diamond League demanded a new level of preparation. How would these lessons shape her meteoric rise?
Olympics: Athletics-Evening Session Aug 8, 2024 Saint-Denis, FRANCE Sydney McLaughlin-Leverone USA wins the women s 400m hurdles final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Paris Stade de France FRANCE, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20240808_jel_al2_6708
Today, McLaughlin-Levrone is a titan of track and field, her Shanghai struggles a distant memory. But that 400-meter race in 2017 was a crucible, forging the resilience that defines her. The Diamond League remains a proving ground, where athletes like her hone their craft against the best, preparing for the Prefontaine Classic Debut, then the Olympic and World Championship stages. In Far Beyond Gold, she doesn’t shy away from the raw truth of that day, the exhaustion, the doubt, the near-collision. It’s a story that resonates with every fan who’s watched her soar. As she continues to shatter records and redefine her sport, that Shanghai race stands as a reminder: even legends start somewhere, and sometimes, that start is a stumble. What’s next for a champion who’s already conquered so much?
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