"Learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable"- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up about dealing with challenging situations in her career

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opened up about dealing with challenging situations in her career. The American athlete reflected on the life of an athlete and revealed how several moments can come in between their goals and slow down their progress; however, such situations are what make them stronger to push themselves even further.

The American athlete has been dominating the 400m hurdles since 2021 and continued her unbeaten streak till the Paris Olympics with six world records in the event under her name. Amid the dominance, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone faced a major challenge in the 2023 season, where she was injured and decided to skip that year's World Championships to focus on her recovery as well as defending her Olympic gold medal.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about dealing with challenges in her career in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. The American athlete shared that challenges are a part of an athlete's life, which can include major injuries and tough losses; however, such instances force an athlete to rejuvenate and come back stronger with a greater zeal and motivation. However, such setbacks can have an adverse effect on an athlete's mental health, so they need to be prepared to face such challenges even when they are uncomfortable and persevere with a positive attitude.

"There are definitely moments that are harder than others. Injuries, losses, or just the monotony of running around the oval every day. But those challenges are what make you a better athlete. I’ve learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Pushing through what looks like a very challenging situation is often how we get the most growth out of ourselves," she said.

McLaughlin-Levrone expressed that challenging situations allowed her to develop a strong mindset while competing against some of the best athletes in the world.

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up about her goal for the upcoming season

McLaughlin-Levrone at the Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 13 - Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone spoke about her ambitions in an interview with Vanity Fair. The American athlete expressed her desire to break the 50-second barrier in the 400m hurdles and break the long-standing world record in the 400m that was set in 1985.

Despite missing the 400m world record in the 2025 World Athletics Championships by a small margin, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is optimistic about working harder to surpass the milestone.

"There's still a lot to do. I would like to get to 49 seconds in the 400 obstacles and aim for the world record in the 400 meters. The time will come to make decisions, but there is certainly a lot to work on," she said.

The Olympic gold medalist hopes to look into minute aspects of her performance to improve even further and push her limits.

Edited by Adityan Pillai