Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has no intention of retiring from track and field anytime soon, but she’s also not planning to compete into her mid 30s. The 25 year old superstar hurdler and sprinter made it clear that a decade more of competition isn’t in the cards for her.
Metaphorically speaking, she’ll already be out to pasture before anyone needs to usher her there.
Currently, no one in the sport can match McLaughlin-Levrone’s dominance in the 400-meter hurdles. She’s inching toward a similar level in the flat 400, even though she hasn’t yet raced it at a World Championships or Olympic Games.
While it may seem strange to say she’s just now entering her prime given how long she’s been a force on the track it’s an accurate reflection of her physical condition and competitive sharpness. Still, as with all athletes, there will come a time when performance naturally declines.
And when that time arrives, McLaughlin-Levrone plans to step away.
During a recent interview on the Ready Set Go podcast, she revealed her plan to retire before age 35. Don’t expect to see her lacing up for competition in her mid-thirties. A full decade more is simply too long for her vision of the future.
“There is an end point. I don’t think I’m one of those athletes you’ll need to pull aside and say, ‘Hey, it’s time.’ I’ll know when it’s time,” she explained.
Her focus now is to enjoy what remains of her career.
“I just want to keep having fun. The journey so far has been incredibly rewarding we’ve achieved a lot. There’s still more I’m working toward,” she said.
That said, McLaughlin-Levrone sees life beyond the track.
“I’m in the second half of my career. I don’t imagine myself competing for another ten years. We’ve accomplished a lot, and I believe more is still ahead, but track and field isn’t the entirety of who I am. The longer I do this, the more grateful I become for what God has already allowed me to experience.”
Even with an endpoint in mind, she’s not slowing down yet.
“I’m going to keep giving it my all right up until the day I hang up my spikes.”
In other words, her career is still in full motion but with a clear horizon. While plans can always change, it’s safe to say McLaughlin-Levrone won’t be sprinting competitively at 35. When it stops bringing her joy, she’ll step away gracefully, long before she’s chasing younger athletes down the track.
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