Far Beyond Gold

’…a soaring testimony to the faith that helped [Sydney] surmount anxiety, forge a new identity in God, and win gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics…her uplifting message to release ‘other people’s expectations’ and instead ‘find your identity in [Jesus]’ resonates. Readers won’t need to be athletes to find inspiration here.’ * Publishers Weekly *

Sydney McLaughlin is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record–holding American sprinter and hurdler. In 2016, she made history at age 16 as the youngest US Olympian to compete in track and field since 1972 and set a junior world record in the 400m hurdles at the Olympic team trials.

McLaughlin cemented herself as a track superstar in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by winning a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, breaking the world record with a 51.46-second time, and winning a gold medal for the 4x400-meter relay.

In 2022, McLaughlin again broke the 400-meter hurdle record and won a gold medal at the Track and Field World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She ran 50.68 seconds, becoming the first woman to ever run the race under 51 seconds, making it the fourth time in two years she’d broken the world record. McLaughlin was named one of 2022 World Athletics’ Athletes of the Year.

Prior to her professional career, McLaughlin competed at the University of Kentucky and was the Gatorade National High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year for two consecutive years. McLaughlin was born in Dunellen, New Jersey, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Andre Levrone Jr.