Who Are Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Parents? Everything to Know about the Track & Field Star’s Family

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been the heartbeat of women’s hurdles for the last few years. With each year beckoning record-breaking sessions, the Olympic gold medalist has been simply sensational. But with so much success comes the fanfare. And with fanfare comes discussions. Discussions on who is supporting the star in her. After all, when you succeed so much, there’s bound to be some people behind you.

And in the case of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, these people are none other than her parents. Throughout her victorious journey, she has credited them with her success. That’s why today lets deep dive into the family background of the hurdler and discover what makes the champion tick. We are going to know all we can about the people who are responsible for the champion.

Who is Sydney McLaughlin-Leverone’s father?

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s father is Willie McLaughlin, who was born in 1960 in Westbury, New York. Willie McLaughlin graduated from Manhattan College, where he was rather popular as a track and field athlete. He specialized in 400m hurdles, and 1981, at just 21 years old, he would run a personal best of 48.69 seconds, which was the fifth-fastest time in the world in the 400m hurdles at that time.

He became the first athlete to break the 50-second barrier in the 400m hurdles in the NCAA. Like father, like daughter. Even Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the first woman to break the 52 and 51-second barrier in the 400mH. Willie’s athletic exploits saw him become a 3-time All-American track and field athlete in the 400m. He even competed in the 1984 Olympics Trials where he would finish 10th.

He also represented the USA as a member of the team headed to the 1981 Pan Am Games. William used to be a District One Academic All-American for both years -1984 and 1985. At that time, he was competing on the collegiate track team. Sydney’s father was so good that he was nominated for the Male Athlete of the Year award in 1987 by Sports Illustrated. At that time, he was playing college basketball, making him a jack of all trades and a capable one at that.

Willie McLaughlin was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. With his expertise and knowledge of the sports, it was natural that he became a coach. At Union Catholic Regional School, he has been training in track, basketball, baseball, and football since 2003. His expertise in sports has come in handy also for his 4 kids, who are accomplished athletes themselves.

So, when his daughter, Sydney, set a world record in the 400m hurdles at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor in Boston in 2016, no wonder you will think Willie McLaughlin had a role to play in it. Willie even makes time to coach high school girls’ track, basketball, and baseball teams. He is just making sure the next Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is being given the right guidance.

However, the proud father had admitted in 2016 that Sydney was different. Talking to NJ.com, he would say, “We had had our older daughter and our older son run, and they were very gifted.” But Sydney was a level above: “Then we saw (Sydney) run at 6 years old, and we just knew, okay, the other ones are very good but this one is a little different. It was just obvious.”

However, his path has not been without some hiccups, we must say. In 2021, Willie was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that required him to get a transplant in February 2021. Residing in New Jersey, Willie McLaughlin can be proud of raising 4 beautiful children, Morgan, Taylor, Sydney, and Ryan.

Only Ryan has no prominent athletic connections, but the rest 3 have competed in college, with Taylor also competing at Rio 2016. Sprinting definitely seems like a family heirloom in the McLaughlin household, passed down from one generation to the next, impressionably. And in this, her mother also has a hand.

Who is Sydney McLaughlin-Leverone’s mother?

Sydney’s mother, Mary Neumeister McLaughlin, is no less impressive, trust us. If anything, the challenges she has had to overcome, we can easily say Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone gets her mental fortitude from her mother. Raised in Tonawanda, Buffalo, New York, Mary went to Cardinal O’Hara High School in Buffalo. And since her school days, she has been a sprinter.

But the times were different back then. So, in the absence of a girls’ track team, she had to join the boys’ team. And she even competed against boys in the 400m and relay races. But don’t worry. Mary Neumeister was not fazed by it. As she said to People.com in August 2024, “I held my own. I did OK.” One of her highest achievements was running the half-mile race in under 2:12 minutes.

After high school, Mary went to Manhattan College, where she would meet her future husband, Willie. Even here, in the absence of a women’s track team, Mary had to maneuver as the manager of the men’s team. She never went professional, but she has no regrets, especially when her path helped her meet Willie. And she has enjoyed every bit of it, from spending time with her partner to raising her 4 kids.

In fact, during the summers, she would take Sydney to meet her mother and siblings, who used to stay in Buffalo. Sydney regards her mother as the “only woman strong enough to put up with me”. For Mary, it was about being by Sydney’s side through thick and thin. That’s why when Sydney turned pro, her mother tagged along with her to Los Angeles, even if it meant leaving her job at Rutgers University.

All because she wanted to make sure her daughter went through a smooth transition. Both Mary and Willie have tried to make sure their children were raised in the right atmosphere and with sound mentorship. That’s why they didn’t rush into it. And they also shared their beliefs in God with their children.

What is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s parents’ nationality?

Both Willie McLaughlin and Mary Neumeister McLaughlin are American citizens who raised their children in the values that they themselves hold dear. And that means teaching their kids about faith and God: “It is our Christian faith that guides my wife and I along this journey,” Willie revealed to Runnerspace.com in 2023. “And it is this same faith that we instilled in our kids.”

For him, it was important because it was a way of life for them: “This is important to us because it dictates how we view the world and how we treat the many people that we encounter along the way. Life is not always easy, and we make mistakes now and then.” Raising Sydney in Dunellen, New Jersey, their influence has had a profound effect of blessing the Tokyo Olympics 400mH and 4x400m relay Champion.

Sydney told on the Jesus Calling podcast in 2024 how good Willie and Mary were at parenting: “I credit them so much for how they handled my young years.” Continuing, she said, “They didn’t want to overwhelm me with rigorous training at a young age. They wanted me to grow and develop number one, my body, and number two, my love for the sport naturally.”

And it has worked perfectly. Their daughter is currently the holder of the top 3 times in 400mH history – 50.37, 50.65, and 50.68. The rich pedigree she comes from gives her an added edge.