Pepperdine University welcomed Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to its Malibu campus on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, for the latest installment of the President’s Speaker Series. In a conversation with President Jim Gash, she reflected on her journey to Olympic success and the role of faith in shaping her identity, purpose, and performance.
The event was hosted as part of The Well, Pepperdine’s weekly worship service in the amphitheatre on campus.
After worship and praise, President Gash introduced McLaughlin-Levrone as an elite athlete who has achieved greatness on the world stage and continues to use her platform to bring glory to God.
“Her life is one of incredible success and unparalleled achievement,” said President Gash, “but one where those gifts are offered back in worship.
McLaughlin-Levrone, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and world-record holder in the 400-meter hurdles, spoke openly about the pressure she faced early in her career. After a silver medal finish at the 2019 World Championships, she described reaching a low point despite her success.
“If I’m not winning… then who am I?” she said. “There has to be more to life.” That moment marked a turning point. She shared how her faith became the foundation that reshaped her understanding of success. “I’m not my past, I’m not my mistakes, I’m not a race, a win or a loss,” she said. “The freedom that that gave me completely transformed everything in my life.”
The conversation traced her rise from a 16-year-old Olympian to becoming one of the most dominant athletes in track and field history, including her gold medal and world record at the Tokyo Olympics and continued success in Paris. But she emphasized that her mindset entering competitions has completely changed.
“I knew God was in control,” she said. “It was really just me going out there and using the gift He gave me.”
A big theme of the evening was how her faith changed the way she handles pressure and competition. Video of event
“Days like that are honestly just worship,” she said of competing on the Olympic stage. “It’s really just, ‘God, thank you for carrying me through this moment.’”
President Gash connected her story to Pepperdine’s annual theme of purpose. He asked her how students can navigate fear and uncertainty in their own lives.
McLaughlin-Levrone encouraged students to look beyond themselves when facing anxiety. “So much of our anxiety is because we’re trying to do it in our own strength,” she said. “We’re not meant to. We’re meant to look to the One who can carry it.”
McLaughlin-Levrone shared that her purpose is to focus on using her gifts to honor God in every season of life, including as she prepares to be a mother.
When asked what’s next in her career, she said she hopes to return to competition. “I don’t know what that will look like,” she said, “but the desire is to come back.”
The event closed with a simple takeaway — that our greater purpose lies not in our achievements but in our identity in Christ.
Pepperdine University’s President’s Speaker Series brings leaders from across industries to engage the community in conversations on purpose, leadership, and the pursuit of truth.
About Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Olympic gold medalist and world champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has inspired millions on her path to become a top track and field athlete. McLaughlin-Levrone set both junior world and NCAA records before winning two gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. She followed this success by winning two more at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, where she broke the world record for the 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone is known for her dedication both to sports and to her ability to inspire. She expands on her uplifting story in her book, Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, and through her work as a brand ambassador for New Balance.
Touching both on her faith and the obstacles she has faced on her way to success, McLaughlin-Levrone offers empowering and inspiring remarks on perseverance, learning and evolving from your mistakes, staying open to new experiences, and the pursuit of success. When recognized by TIME magazine as an emerging leader, her teammate and world-record holder Allyson Felix described her as someone with "a quiet confidence that demands your attention . . .[and has] the potential to impact lives."
About Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in Malibu, California. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is committed to both the relentless pursuit of truth through academic and scholarly excellence and to embodying Christian faith and values. With students at the heart of the educational enterprise, the University prepares approximately 9,000 scholars for lives of purpose, service, and leadership across its flagship liberal arts school, Seaver College, the College of Health Science, and four graduate schools—the Caruso School of Law, the Graziadio Business School, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and the School of Public Policy. Pepperdine is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.