Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone owns spotlight in Time's Women of the Year

Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has another accolade to add to her résumé.

On Thursday, Time released its list of the Women of the Year for 2026. The group of 16 women included prominent names such as singer and actress Teyana Taylor, actress Mariska Hargitay, singer Brandi Carlile and Ulta CEO Kecia Steelman. McLaughlin-Levrone was the lone athlete on Time's list.

Within the last 19 months, the U.S. sprinter broke her own world record time in the 400-meter hurdles to claim gold in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also won her first world title in the 400-meter flat at the 2025 World Championships.  In January of this year, the four-time Olympic gold medalist announced she was pregnant, expecting her first child with husband Andre Levrone Jr.

"I was very encouraged by the responses from so many people — of congratulations and joy, as opposed to only caring about track and field," McLaughlin-Levrone said to Time. "Because that’s what I do, but that’s not who I am.”

"Track and field is taking the backseat in my life for the first time in a long time, which I’m really excited about," McLaughlin-Levrone said in an interview with USA TODAY. 

The Olympian says she'll continue to train, even while pregnant, for as long as she safely can. However, she admits that competing in the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in September is probably "not in the cards" anymore.

Still, McLaughlin-Levrone explained that she is prioritizing a healthy pregnancy and time with her family before she turns her attention to preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and earning a double sweep in the 400-meter hurdles and 400-meter flat events. 

"I'm definitely looking ahead towards 2028. That’s definitely on my mind frequently," McLaughlin-Levrone said.

"And you know, we'll have to, first and foremost, see how pregnancy goes and recovery and coming back. And I'm hopeful that if all that goes well, and training through 2027 also goes well, that maybe there is a world for a double. So, like I said, one day at a time, and hopefully things progress in a positive manner, so that that's definitely possible."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone tops Time's Women of the Year 2026