Another successful season comes to an end for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Well, almost! The 25-year-old ran two special 400m and 200m races in Brussels despite not being eligible to run in the 2024 Diamond League finals. In both events, McLaughlin-Levrone put on stellar displays by winning with gusto. But the track and field star seems to believe that the end of the road is fast approaching.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist didn’t compete in enough Diamond League meets this year, making it difficult for her to have sufficient points to qualify for the League finals in the Belgian capital. However, that didn’t stop the organizers from paying their tribute to the New Jersey native in style, and McLaughlin-Levrone reciprocated triumphantly. But Bob Kersee’s star student is feeling her age catching up.
Sydney shared her mindset after adding two more medals to her cabinet. “To really just enjoy these opportunities God’s given me because this sport doesn’t last forever,” the highly decorated sprinter didn’t beat around the bush and made it evident that she understands how short of a window professional track stars have to prove their worth to the world.
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She went on to assert that she would have to hang her boots even though she might not want to do so. “…as much as I want to be serious and focused, I know that this time in my life is very short,” Sydney’s words send an almost ominous message to her fans. Whatever the future may hold, if Brussels was indeed the stage where McLaughlin-Levrone ran her final races, fans can at least say with happiness in their hearts that they witnessed the star in her absolute best form.
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: Living in the momentDespite being a hurdles specialist, Sydney proved her elite status once again in the flat races in the European metropolitan. In the 400m invitational race on Friday (September 13), she clocked 49.11 to secure a comfortable victory over Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams, who came in second with 50.53 seconds.
In the final race, just moments after McLaughlin’s special victory, Marileidy Paulino managed to cross the finishing line in 49.45 seconds, making fans debate how things would have panned out had Levrone competed in enough Diamond League meets this season. In the shorter distance, the three-time World Championships gold medalist bagged an impressive 22.40-second finish at the Memorial Van Damme.
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Naturally, the star was elated by her performance despite being unable to boast two more Diamond League gold medals. Referring to how the two races differed from the events she usually partakes in, Sydney said, “I’m still learning it. It’s very different from the hurdles. Every race is just trying to figure it out and get better.” Moreover, she hailed the attending crowd for cheering to the best of their abilities to supply the sprinters with adrenaline. “The crowd was amazing. The atmosphere was electric. Just happy to be here and get the experience,” admitted the 2019 Diamond League winner.
Do you think the love from the fans will be enough to make Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone keep coming back for more? Or will she now look to go through her bucket list as a professional sprinter before bidding farewell to the tracks forever? Let us know your thoughts with a comment.
Source : EssentiallySports