An American hurdler, who beat the reigning world champion and Rio gold medalist during the Olympic Trials in June, sustained her dominance at the Tokyo Olympics and once again, credited God for the success.
Sydney McLaughlin clocked 51.46 seconds to clinch the gold, beating Dalilah Muhammad who recorded a time of 51.58 seconds for the silver medal. The Netherlands' Femke Bol took the bronze with 52.03 seconds.
Captured by The Christian Post, McLaughlin honored God for the win, in a statement to NBC.
"Giving the glory to God. It's all, this season, hard work and dedication. And [I'm] just really grateful to be able to represent my country and to have this opportunity," she stated.
Standing out for her faith, even Evangelist Franklin Graham celebrated the hurdler's victory.
"What a champion! Last night, Olympian Sydney McLaughlin broke her own record to win gold in the 400-meter hurdles and set a new world record. They said her time was 'scorching!' And she didn't hesitate to give the glory to God. Thank you, Sydney, for making America proud-and for letting your light shine for Jesus Christ," Rev. Graham wrote.
The evangelist proceeded by sharing the athlete's words, declaring her peace in God.
"[I]n a world full of inconsistency, it's such a breath of fresh air to find true stability in Jesus ... The peace of knowing I will always have a friend, always have His support, and always have His LOVE; makes even the loneliest of moments feel full. My soul finds rest in knowing He is not like us. He doesn't change, and He will never leave me," she said.
According to The New York Post, Muhammad got ahead in the early part of the race. But Ralph Mann of the U.S.A. Track and Field observed that McLaughlin "ran the last three hurdles much better that she's ever run them before."
The USA Today noticed that the athlete appeared calm after crossing the finish line and even after the awarding ceremony, but she said that it was because she felt "too many emotions" that she had no emotion to show anymore.
The Olympic feat was said to be expected of McLaughlin, since breaking the state record on her first race in high school and qualifying for the Rio Olympics at just 16 years old.
She revealed that some of the challenges in her career are the pressure and opinion of others, which affected her focus during her stint at Rio. So, she decided to avoid social media in the days leading up to the Tokyo Olympics.
She also told the media outlet that her faith in God has changed her perspective on pressure, referring to it as just an "illusion."
"It's a weight that you put on yourself, that doesn't really exist," she said.
She added that it's the fear in the mind about something that has yet to happen but one assumes that has already happened.
"So it's really just making sure that your thoughts are positive and what you want them to be in order to make them happen in reality."
