Four years into her marriage, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shared the news the track world had long been waiting for: she’s expecting her first child. Her announcement on January 22 had lit up social media, but a new detail has now made it even bigger. Honored as a TIME Women of the Year 2026 recipient, she revealed something personal in her speech that quickly went viral for all the right reasons.

Dressed in a long, fitted red gown with drop shoulder detailing and earrings, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone took the stage at the TIME event and shared the gender of her baby, saying:

“I will continue to strive to push the bounds if it’s possible to keep advancing marks on the track and to inspire my future daughter, which is… You guys are the first to know it’s a girl.”

Soon after, the audience erupted in cheers!

Even before the gender reveal, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had spoken clearly about her hopes for her child: “I just want to inspire my child to continue to chase their dreams and strive for excellence in whatever they do.”

This makes her already special journey of motherhood even more meaningful.

Sydney had always desired to become a mother. Even in 2025, she confirmed she had “baby fever,” saying she really aspired to be a mother one day.

Even before that, during the MJ Summit, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had hinted at her future plans: “I mean, there’s a lot of things I think that come to mind. Um, obviously, I would love to be a mom. I would love to, uh, raise a family with my husband, who’s studying to be a pastor.”

Even when Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced her pregnancy, they shared how much they had prayed for their baby, “Oh, how we have prayed for you… And the Lord has answered!! You are our greatest blessing and are already so loved. We are eagerly waiting to meet you! 🫶🏽🤍 Cool parents loading…”

But it seems motherhood is only part of her story as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is already planning her post-pregnancy comeback.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone plans a post-pregnancy comeback

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone knows her capabilities better than anyone. In 2025, she made a bold shift from the 400m hurdles to the 400m flat, a move that brought her a national record and a world title. That adaptability suggests her return to elite competition after pregnancy won’t be impossible. In fact, she’s already looking ahead to the next chapter of her track and field journey.

As the 2028 Summer Olympics are set to take place in Los Angeles, McLaughlin-Levrone has spoken openly about both the new challenges ahead: “I am currently pregnant for the first time. So that’s gonna be a new hurdle coming off of that and coming back for L.A. I am excited to come back from that.”

But at the same time, she believes that this next stage could provide fresh motivation for her career: “Hopefully [this] will bring a new type of motivation for the next seasons to come.”

Her father, Willie McLaughlin, is equally optimistic, “We’re just excited to see what post‑pregnancy Sydney is going to look like, because a lot of athletes that have had children, [they] come back and do even better than they did before… do amazing things. So we’re also excited to see that. And we’re excited to be able to have a home Olympics and be able to witness that in LA [2028].”

Interestingly, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone herself has also sought inspiration from some of the sport’s most celebrated mothers, including Allyson Felix, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Nia Ali: “[They are all] amazing mums and amazing athletes who were able to come back and compete at a high level,” she said.

“And so it’s very encouraging just to know that there’s a community there. There’s a lot of women who have done it before me; it’s not anything new. But it’s exciting to know that it’s probably going to be one of the most impressive things I’ve ever done, bringing a human into the world and then being able to go back to my sport.”

With such strong examples around her, Sydney’s journey back to the track after pregnancy is as inspiring as her time in the spotlight so far.