Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone faced a significant threat to her Olympic dreams due to the looming danger of COVID-19 during the Tokyo Games. In 2020, the world was overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with major global events either being canceled or postponed. The Tokyo Olympics were no exception, as they were delayed to 2021. Despite the precautions, athletes were still vulnerable to the virus.
McLaughlin-Levrone recently shared her experience in the Amazon documentary, Beyond Gold Running Faith. Recalling her time at the Tokyo Olympics, she revealed that she was forced into quarantine after one of her teammates tested positive for COVID-19. Since McLaughlin-Levrone was in the same hall in the Olympic Village as the infected athlete, she was classified as a close contact, which heightened her risk of contracting the virus.
Fortunately, McLaughlin-Levrone had a private room, which provided some protection. However, she was still at risk due to shared spaces like hallways and bathrooms. Describing the emotional toll, she said, “Each day, we endured multiple rounds of testing, knowing that if we got a positive, our Olympic dreams were over. I became hyperaware of my body. Am I showing any symptoms? Am I feeling tired, congested, or lightheaded?”
To minimize the risk of infection, the track team requested separate accommodations outside the Olympic Village, following the example of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team. However, while the gymnastics team consisted of only five members, the track and field team had around 100, making this solution more difficult to implement.
This challenging experience highlighted the uncertainties and fears faced by athletes during the pandemic, as they navigated strict protocols to keep their Olympic hopeshopes alive.