Olympic track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a dedicated believer in Jesus who recently took an opportunity during the Paris 2024 Games to heap praise upon the God of all creation for giving her the strength to do what no woman has ever done in the women’s 400-meter hurdles: become a two-time champion. McLaughlin-Levrone is a shining example of what it means to make Jesus the center of your life. When you understand that while you have cultivated the various gifts God has given you for His glory in this life, you wouldn’t have them at all if not for Him.
Sacred Scripture informs us constantly that we are to give God glory for all things. Anything we put our hands to in this life is to be done as an act of praise and honor to Him. A sacrifice lifted up like the sweet smelling savor of incense. McLaughlin-Levrone obeyed that command and at the same time, used a huge public platform to testify about the goodness of the Lord.
According to the Christian Post:
The 25-year-old American won the gold medal in Paris, France, by recording a time of 50.37 seconds, beating out fellow American Anna Cockrell, who won the silver medal with a time of 51.87, and bronze medalist Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who finished in 52.15 seconds. Not having lost a 400-meter hurdles race since 2019, McLaughlin-Levrone’s victory never appeared to be in question as she pulled away from her competitors down the stretch.
“I credit all that I do to God. He’s given me a gift. He’s given me a drive to just want to continue to improve upon myself,” the Olympian stated during a Thursday press conference. “I have a platform and I want to use it to glorify Him, and so whenever I step on the track, it’s always the prayer of ‘God let me be the vessel in which you’re glorified’ whatever the result is, how I conduct myself, how I carry myself, not just how I perform.”
“So it’s just freedom in knowing that regardless of what happens, He’s going to get the praise through me,” she continued, offering Christ the honor He’s due. “And yeah, that’s why I do what I do.”
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The following day after cinching the gold medal, McLaughlin-Levrone sat down for an interview on NBC’s “Today.”
“I’m feeling great. Honestly, woke up. Surreal. … Honestly, you just got to run through the line. You never really know what’s going on behind you. And you never know how close anybody is with the crowd screaming like that. So you just got to keep running your race, clear those 10 hurdles, and just sprint to the line,” McLaughlin-Levrone told the show’s hosts.
“You can always tell when it’s going to be a fast race. The crowd is huge. But, also, the field was so deep that I knew it was going to take a fast time out there, and the track was very fast, too. So that also helps,” McLaughlin-Levrone continued. Right after the race concluded, the two-time gold medalist could be seen hugging her husband, Andre Levrone, along with other members of her family who were in the crowd cheering for her.
“It makes the moment so much more full. Honestly, having them there. They’re the people that have helped me get to this place. They’ve done so much for me and just supporting me and doing all the things necessary so we get to celebrate together and it just makes these moments so special,” she stated.
Andre Levrone also participated in the interview, going on to say of his wife, “I’m incredibly proud of her. I can’t even put it into words. There was just sheer emotion coming through me last night at the race. But, the work ethic that she mentioned; she worked incredibly hard. We’re always there encouraging her practice. … But, yesterday, before the race, just seeing the confidence and the trust and the faith that she had in God, in her work ethic and the plan that her coach had put into place for her, … I can’t describe it in words. It’s beautiful”
Back in June, when McLaughlin-Levrone was participating in the U.S. Trials, she spoke with NBC Sports saying that “anything is possible in Christ.”
“Praise God,” she commented. “I was not expecting that, but He can do anything. Anything is possible in Christ.” The gold-medal winner finished the trials for the 400 meter hurdles in a stunning 50.65 seconds. She promptly destroyed that time during the actual event.