For many athletes, winning an Olympic gold medal is the pinnacle of their career. For Kaylyn Brown, it was a life-changing experience that took a year to fully process. Now, the Arkansas Razorback track star is using that monumental achievement as fuel for the future, with her sights set firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Brown’s journey to the top of the podium was unique. As a 19-year-old, she ran the preliminary leg of the mixed 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics, helping Team USA secure its spot in the final, where they ultimately claimed gold. While she didn’t run in the final, her contribution was vital. Reflecting on the experience, she told EssentiallySports, “Just being able to be a part of that, knowing that I led the team into the finals, it was just an amazing feeling.”

However, the path to glory wasn’t without its challenges. Brown faced a wave of criticism online, with some claiming she had let the team down. But she remains unshakeable. Talking about her journey, Kaylyn Brown spoke to EssentiallySports.

You’ve already achieved some lofty dreams. How’s it going over there in Arkansas?

It’s going amazing. I love Arkansas. At first, it was like there’s nothing to do here, but I love it. 

I saw that picture of you, you on your IG saying that I wanted to be an Olympian when you were a little kid. So already having not just become an Olympian, but to taste gold, how do you let that all sink in?

At first, when I was 19 years old, when I went to the Olympics. So at first it took me like a year to really process, like I’ve accomplished my dreams. But now I’m just like I’m taking that and looking forward to 28 LA 28.’

And how do you take that experience to ensure that you thrive at the NCAA level?

Honestly, knowing that I’ve been in the world’s biggest stages. So running at like a NCAA meet, I’m just like it’s just another me and being confident is a big part of um like I don’t know. I just I don’t know, just being confident and knowing that I’ve already accomplished what I wanted to. So, yeah.

What do you love about this sport?

Um, what I love about this sport is that it’s very independent and it’s all on you. So, just knowing that you determine what you do on the track. So, like me working hard and stuff and when I see it come out to play, like at the meets, it’s just amazing feeling. 

It’s a fascinating sport in terms of, like, you say that individual element, but then you can be part of a team, of course, you know, a lot of your highs were hit as a team. How do you navigate the two when you are relying on three other people and when it’s just you out there?

Honestly, my individual race comes first, obviously, but knowing that I am a team player, I am a leader, and honestly, after my race, knowing that I get to run with the amazing other three girls in the 4×4 to win. So, it’s exciting.

Can you take us back there to Paris? Uh, what was going through your mind when you took the gold?

Um, when I took the gold, well, I did. I didn’t run in the finals. I ran in the prelims, but just being able to be a part of that, knowing that I led the team into the finals. It was just an amazing feeling. And honestly, it wasn’t even about money. Like, I was a kid. I was just out there running, and it was just another track meet. So, that was a cool experience.

And then, you anchored the mix relay up against FEMA bowl for the silver. What was that like?

That was amazing. Um, a lot of people, like, I got a lot of backlash, like, “Oh my gosh, she let USA down.” But honestly, I did I went out there, and I did everything that I could have done, and the team did amazing. So, it was great to be a part of that.

How do you navigate that? The internet, the comments, the positive, the negative, all of the noise. 

Honestly, I do not stay on social media. So, I just I just do um I don’t know. I just stay off social media. Yeah. I don’t even deal with it.

What are your biggest goals for this season?

For this season, my biggest goals is to stay healthy and run fast and just to prove to myself that I can do anything that I put my mind to, honestly.

So, your 4913 ties Britain Wilson’s American Collegiate record. What does that mean to you? And what is it like when the margins are so fine, and you’re literally looking at hundreds of seconds?

That means a lot to me. I feel very honored to, like, run that time and to have, like, share the same record as her, but I’m going for the school record, which is 4889. Yeah. So that’s next.

How do you strategize making that?

Just taking it every day by day, not looking at what I need to do in the future, but what I need to accomplish. Just win the day. That’s my moto. If you win the day, it’ll just add up, and then your results will show.

What made you choose Arkansas? What’s the atmosphere like there and how does it help you thrive?

I would say the atmosphere is just a winning mindset. When you come to Arkansas, you see how many pros are there. So, it just makes you want to win, and it makes you want to work hard and to become a pro athlete. And honestly, the coaches are amazing. The training is hard, but it prepares you for the meets, honestly. So, it’s amazing.

How do you stay balanced? Like, what do you enjoy outside of the track to refresh?

So outside of the track, last year I got a Frenchie. Her name is Storm. So I love playing with her. Also, I love to read books. I love to listen to music and hang out with friends. So it’s hard to really balance as an athlete because once you get out of practice, you’re very tired and you don’t want to do anything. But honestly, doing those things that make you happy, it matters the most.

You have, uh, maybe the deepest 400-meter field in the world right now. Teammates like Sydney McLaughlin, Neon, and Gabby Thomas as well. What is the level for you? What does that mean in terms of driving you and just edging you on?

Um, honestly, I do look up to them and, knowing that the competition it gets faster every year, just knowing that, you know, if I work hard and if I’m healthy, I am the standard. 

You’re a big goal setter, right? How important is it as an elite athlete to write down and vocalize and speak into existence what you plan to do?

It’s really important. Like every day I speak life into myself, and I write down my goals. It’s really important so you can not only, like, look back and see it come to life, but just writing it down and repeating it to yourself, it becomes a repetition and you start to believe it. So that’s very important as well to me.

How do you juggle college track and international racing and how do they all blend together to make sure everyone’s interests are met?

Honestly, college track comes first. So, I’ll run my whole collegiate season and then when that’s done, then me and my coach will discuss, okay, these are the meets that we can do. So, next year, um, worlds, worlds is coming up. So, after my collegiate season, I’ll just be doing some races and prepping for Worlds.

Do you think there’s a buzz in the scene right now with LA looming and it being at home?

I do think so. Um, I know it’s very exciting to run in the US. Um, but who doesn’t love LA? So, I’m excited to go to LA and even try out to potentially go to the next Olympics.

How much is in your thoughts and your goals for LA?

I would say I’ve had a lot of thoughts and goals for LA, but just like staying where my feet are. Like I know that I want to make it to LA, but I have to do these certain steps to get there. So, just checking off the boxes and making sure I’m doing the things necessary to get there.

Who’s the gold standard for you right now in track and field who you look at and think they have the whole package?

Oh, I would say Allison Felix. Like, she is one strong and amazing woman. I’ve looked up to her since I was young, like seven years old. Um, she’s just dominates in everything that she does. So, I look up to her a lot. 

I feel like every generation feels like a golden generation for the US. How do you feel about this current generation?

I think that this current generation, there are a lot of ways to get faster. So that’s why every year it’s just like people are dropping times. But I think this generation is going to be the next fastest generation.

What are the small margins that you can make to shave those hundreds of a second? What do you focus on?

Doing my abs. It’s I’m telling people all the time; it’s the little things. Showing up every day with a great attitude and doing the things that nobody else does, like after practice. A lot of people probably just come home and just, you know, get ready for bed, but making sure I’m doing my ab work, making sure I’m getting water and making sure I’m eating the right protein, doing rehab, prehab, so I won’t get injured.

What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve been given in this sport?

I would say to worry about yourself. Um, and what I mean by that is don’t look at anybody else’s progress. Focus on yourself and take every day by day. 

This sport is just unbelievable in terms of the mental strength and the self-belief that you need. How important is that self-belief, that confidence that you have in your ability?

I think that’s really important, like, that can make or break you. Um, this is a story, but right before I ran the mix 4×4, I was like panicking because I just like didn’t have that confidence. I felt young. So, I think that having that confidence is really important, and knowing that when you step out on the track, you’re just as good as everybody else or even better. So mental health is really important in this sport, and just speaking life into yourself, like we said and knowing that you’ve worked hard to get here, so you deserve a spot.

Do people use music a lot? What kind of different techniques have you seen for people to get in the zone and make sure that they’re there?

So in college, my coach is very strict. He does not let us listen to music. But before we get out into, like, a warm-up, music for sure. Music. I love to spend time with God and just talk to him about what needs to be done and asking him for strength and everything. But yes, those are the two things that I do. And I even meditate. Sometimes I need quietness. So those are very important to me.

And for you, how important is it to lift up your teammates and make sure that you are always inspiring each other even though, like, we said, it’s often just you out there?

Yeah, that is very important. Coming in when I was a freshman, Amber, Rosie, Nikishha, they all took me in as a sister. And me being a senior now, I want to be a leader and a role model for those younger kids, and even kids around the world. Um, that’s very important to uplift your teammates. Um, cuz it’s a team thing honestly in college. So, it’s individual, but you’re earning points to win a title. So, it’s always good to just encourage someone or let them know that you know they’re here for a reason.

So, who is the hardest worker you’ve ever met in this sport? 

The hardest worker that I’ve trained with besides me, I would say Amber Anning.

Who is the best dressed?

The best dressed besides me, I would say Analise Batista.

Who’s the funniest?

Coach Johnson.

Who’s the first person you would go to for restaurant advice?

Sonaria Butler.

And what would be your ultimate pre-race song?

Whoa. I would just say a genre: R&B. There are too many.

And if you had one message for young runners or younger version of yourself, what would you want to say?

I would honestly say to the kids out there that you can do anything that you put your mind to, and if you work hard for the things that you want, you will achieve them. We know it to be true. We’ve seen it.