Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is no stranger to standing in the spotlight. Olympic gold, world records, and international acclaim have followed her throughout her career. But away from the cameras and medals, it is her unwavering faith that continues to shape her path. That same deep-rooted belief recently brought her to tears, not for a race lost, but for a leader gone.
The passing of John MacArthur, a revered pastor and teacher within the Christian community, marked a solemn moment for McLaughlin-Levrone. Pastor Tom Patton had told congregants on July 13 about MacArthur being hospitalised with illness. “This week, Pastor John contracted pneumonia. He was admitted into the hospital and may be in the presence of the Lord soon.”
Later, on Monday, the announcement came. “Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior.” His passing came after a few years of battling health, going through multiple surgeries targeting atrial fibrillation and other conditions. For McLaughlin-Levrone, it was a heavy loss.
Before the news, she had spoken openly about the men and women who helped shape her spiritual discipline, often noting the importance of sound biblical teaching in her personal growth. Her 2024 memoir, Far Beyond Gold, reflects this commitment, with passages describing how scripture and trusted teachers helped ground her during periods of emotional and professional strain.
“Faithful servants of Jesus all the way to Glory,” she wrote after reposting the announcement of MacArthur’s death in her Instagram story. For McLaughlin-Levrone, the message was not performative. It came from a place that has shaped every major turning point in her life. As she has often explained, “I realized that first and foremost, I’m a child of God. It set me free to run the race God has set out for me to run.”
This steady foundation of faith has long guided her decisions and defined her mindset. Her 2024 memoir offers a candid portrait of how spiritual surrender replaced the endless pursuit of perfection. Years earlier, in the painful aftermath of the Rio Olympics, she felt disconnected and overwhelmed by fear. But the deeper she leaned into scripture and prayer, the more clearly she saw her purpose, one that transcended athletics.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sets a world record of 50.65 in the women’s 400 meter hurdles during the final day of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials Sunday, June 30, 2024, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
As she prepares for a further rise in her career, McLaughlin-Levrone remains firm in her belief that her greatest identity is not that of an athlete, but of a servant. The death of a man she admired as a spiritual guide served as a quiet reminder of what she holds most sacred. And in that reverence, she offered not just a tribute, but a testimony. Sydney herself has often reflected on how her faith has impacted her life.
How Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone runs with faith, not fear
In a realm where titles and times often define worth, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has charted a different path, one shaped not by medals but by meaning. Despite her ascent to the apex of track and field, she has been forthright about the deeper foundation beneath her success. “For a long time, my identity was in track and field,” she told The Associated Press earlier this year. She believing that she is a child of God, acts as a recalibration of purpose. It does not diminish her athletic ambition but redirects it. Her words suggest a profound internal shift—one that reorders not only priorities but perception itself.
McLaughlin-Levrone has spoken frequently about the spiritual discipline required to preserve that focus. Prayer, scripture, and deliberate quietness before competition are not peripheral routines. They are, in her own view, essential. According to The Associated Press, she prays before every race alongside her coach, trainer, and husband. In her reflections, she has explained that staying grounded in faith allows her to filter out the pressures of fame and performance. “That means being in the word, being in prayer, keeping that in the forefront and allowing that to be what centers my mind and not the outside voices of the world,” she said. These are not passing remarks but recurring themes, echoed across interviews and social media posts alike.
Her 2024 memoir, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, expands upon this ethos. In its pages, McLaughlin-Levrone recounts the internal battles that paralleled her public victories. She does not romanticize her path. Rather, she describes a steady transformation, one forged through challenge, reflection, and, in her words, “profound grace.” The book, as she frames it, is less a chronicle of triumph than an invitation: a record of how faith carried her through, and how it might yet carry others.
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