It all started with a selfie for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and her husband Andre Levrone.
The 24-year-old Olympic hurdler has published her first book, Far Above Gold: Running from Fear to Faithon Tuesday, and is now speaking out about her husband’s support as she prepares for the 2024 Olympics.
McLaughlin revealed in the book how she and the former 28-year-old liquidator met on social media.
“One day I posted a selfie with the caption ‘Attention,’ a reference to a song I was listening to,” she wrote, adding that she was “not trying to get ‘former athlete’ or anyone else’s attention” with the photo. “I was just being a little creative,” she explained.
McLaughlin said it wasn’t until later that day at the photo shoot that she checked her phone and saw a text from Levrone that read: “You have my attention. How can I have yours?”
The couple tied the knot at a vineyard in Virginia in May 2022. At the time, McLaughlin told PEOPLE she knew Levrone was the one just days after meeting, and Levrone said he was 100% sure by their third date.
Sydney McLaughlin had her wedding dress made in 3 weeks after freezing in her first dress
Almost two years later, Sydney says it’s “amazing” to look back on their journey, and her husband shares that sentiment. “He was so excited and so proud of how it came together and what it means to me to be able to encourage people and share my story and how it affects others,” she says. “He’s definitely my biggest hype man.”
Sydney McLaughlin’s book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith.
Thomas Nelson
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McLaughlin says one of the main themes of his book is her tendency to expect “perfection” from herself, athletically and beyond. “I think when you’re in a profession where you’re fighting for gold, silver and bronze, it’s always going to be an opportunity to look at yourself and want to be that perfect,” she shares.
As a retired athlete, Levrone can relate. “I’m very grateful for Andre because he understands sports life, day-to-day, what it takes and all the little things,” says McLaughlin. “We’re very similar just in how we bond because of that, which helps us understand each other.”
Looking back, McLaughlin says she’s “learned to see my wins, my losses, everything in between as God’s plan and take it as it comes” so she can continue to “grow and learn and appreciate everything in between .”
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Sydney McLaughlin. Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Sydney McLaughlin on her evolution from Rio 2016 to gold in Tokyo: ‘A dream come true’
As their second wedding anniversary approaches, McLaughlin says “it’s been wonderful to merge our lives together and figure out our new normal.”
But in the meantime, McLaughlin is focused on “training and trying to qualify” for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Levrone focuses on his studies. “He’s in school right now, in religious education, so he’s doing that and I’m training, but we’re still super involved in our lives together and just managing our marriage.”
With the Games just around the corner, McLaughlin looks to his faith. “Whatever the Lord has for me, I just want to do it to the best of my ability and hopefully represent Team USA well.”
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Source: HIS Education