“Things are not always what they seem,” is an age-old proverb that almost everyone is familiar with. This adage could also sum up Sydney McLaughlin and what followed after her Olympic debut. Track and field fans across the globe celebrated the 16-year-old teenage prodigy who just made it to the 400-meter hurdles semifinals. However, the reality was different for the celebrated athlete.

McLaughlin-Levrone had worked tirelessly throughout the years to make it to the Olympics at 16. However, the fame that arrived alongside that achievement made life quite difficult in a way she didn’t imagine. The 25-year-old recalled just how many things changed at Union Catholic High School in the span of a single season.

The world shined the spotlight on Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and it was too bright

“After the Olympics, I was placed on a pedestal,” McLaughlin-Levrone revealed in Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith. The athlete recalled how suddenly everyone knew who she was even before a race began. Before the hurdler’s Olympic debut, people would be surprised and praise the athlete for her speed. Yet, after the games, everyone had an image in their minds.

“Look, it’s Sydney McLaughlin,” the 25-year-old recalled hearing people say before many eventually walked over to her. “Pointing and snapping photos. No teenager should have that much attention on them. The pedestal isn’t natural,” stated Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. This newfound fame didn’t just seem alien to the 400-meter hurdles specialist, but caused other issues.

“I think the pedestal was a big reason my teammates and I didn’t get along my senior year,” explained the world record-holder. However, not only did she not realize it back then, her teammates were none the wiser. The friction led to bullying, only worsening her high school experience. “There was exclusion, whispering, jokes, and at times rude comments,” said McLaughlin-Levrone.

And nothing good came of it either. After a point, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone just snapped, throwing away the opportunity to represent herself and Union Catholic at the national championships. The fact that she grappled with her mental health even before the Olympics didn’t help the situation.

Things became difficult even before the hurdler raced in her first Olympics

Recalling how she felt before Rio 2016, the track and field spoke about how overwhelming everything felt. While her father, who had coached the track and field athlete in the past, and also competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1984, didn’t pressurize her, the athlete took it upon herself. “I put enough pressure on myself for the both of us,” ahead of the 2016 Olympic Trials, confessed McLaughlin-Levrone.

In fact, she nearly wanted to quit the race due to a lack of confidence and self-belief. And while Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ultimately made the Olympic team, the anxiety and self-doubt never faded. “High school indoor track starts in mid-December. Now it was nearly August, and instead of winding down, I was ramping up for the biggest, most intimidating race of my life,” recalled the Olympian.

Feeling completely burned out and simply wanting to do things that 16-year-old teenagers do, McLaughlin-Levrone threw caution to the wind. And while ignorance felt like bliss for a while. The fear took over once she arrived in Rio. Unfortunately, the track and field star couldn’t completely shake off the anxiety even during the Olympic races.

While making it to the semifinals in her Olympic debut seemed to improve others, McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t feel the same. She was disappointed, and the fame that followed her back to America only worsened the conflict. Thankfully for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, while high school ended on a sour note, she ultimately learned to deal with the fame and the emotions. Today, the 25-year-old is reigning Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles.