Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s advice for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: “Don’t lose who you are”

When Jackie Joyner-Kersee offers advice, people sit up and listen.

It’s not just because of her status in the world of sport - she is, after all, a three-time Olympic champion with two golds in the heptathlon and another in long jump - but also because this is someone who has been there, done that and seen just about everything.

She knows the potential pitfalls that await athletes and what it takes to achieve long-term success when the pressure on your shoulders could cause some to crumble.

So when the 61-year-old, who remains the world record holder in heptathlon some 35 years after her victory at Seoul 1988, offers advice to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, it comes from a place of experience - and no little affection.

“It’s very important you be surrounded by people you trust,” Joyner-Kersee said of the 400m hurdles world record holder in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com at August’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

“But then also don’t let the expectation of others [get in your way]. Pull your joy from the sport.”

• Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's race for the 400m world record

Happiness key for McLaughlin-Levrone on her journey in track & field

McLaughlin-Levrone was a high-profile absence from the 2023 Worlds, having pulled out with a knee injury just days before the competition was about to begin.

Her misfortune robbed the world of the chance to see her defend her World title in the 400m hurdles but also the mouth-watering prospect of her competing in the 400m flat - a new venture she has undertaken since teaming up with Joyner-Kersee’s husband, the legendary coach Bobby Kersee.

And while the setback for McLaughlin-Levrone was far from ideal a year out from the Paris 2024 Olympics, Joyner-Kersee was eager to stress that the star athlete has plenty of time on her hands to fulfil her immense potential in the sport.

But in order to do that, her own personal happiness and sense of self need to remain high on her list of priorities.

“A lot of times people don’t realise that when you look at a Sydney McLaughlin, you look at an Anna Hall [USA’s new world heptathlon silver medallist], they’re young, doing some of the things that we did later on in our careers,” Joyner-Kersee explained.

“And because there’s such a hunger for these up-and-coming stars, they perform in their athletics at the highest level but then also they’re trying to manage things too as young people as they evolve and grow.

“So I constantly talk with her [McLaughlin-Levrone] and just tell her, don’t lose who you are, because yes the world wants to see you but you have to be happy with what you’re doing.

“And she is happy with what she’s doing.”

Joyner-Kersee on KJT’s return from adversity to win World gold: “She is one of the greats”

The heptathlon event at the 2023 World Athletics Championships was truly one for the ages. After two barnstorming performances from the USA’s Anna Hall and Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson (who is affectionately known by the nickname KJT), the entire outcome rode on the 800m as KJT dug deep to come out on top by 20 points, the smallest margin in World Champs history.

For Johnson-Thompson, the result represented a comeback from the injury woes that caused her to pull out of Tokyo 2020 and a stunning re-birth in a sport she had contemplated giving up.

But as the saying goes it takes two to tango and the Brit found a worthy rival in the form of Hall - even as the American herself struggled with an injury suffered in training when embarking on her quest for World gold.

The performances of both left Joyner-Kersee mightily impressed by the state of heptathlon today as she praised the never-give-up performances of the two medallists.

“She was under the radar, she didn’t have to deal with a lot of the pressure so she was able to come in and be able to perform at the highest level because she is one of the greats,” Joyner-Kersee said of Johnson-Thompson before turning her attention to the epic battle she enjoyed with Hall.

“But I think having the two go head-to-head, Anna brought the best out of her and she brought the best out of Anna.

“And even though Anna was dealing with a slight little injury, they still gave great performances, still showed their grit…

“That’s what you love about the multi events, we’re going to go head-to-head. It came down to the 800m and it was a lot to overcome but Anna went for it. But then Kat, with her experience just said, ‘I need to do this’ and was able to perform a PB [personal best] and get the job done.”

Anna Hall’s prospects for Paris 2024: “She’s already there”

For all the progress that Hall has made in recent years - upgrading her bronze at the 2022 World Champs to silver in the latest edition - the 22-year-old is still missing that coveted gold medal in a major international competition.

After the last heptathlon event at this year’s Worlds, the young American lay slumped on the floor where she was consoled by the winner Johnson-Thompson.

It was at once one of the most beautiful and cruel moments of the championships.

However, perhaps nobody understands Hall's disappointment better than Joyner-Kersee, who herself faced the crushing disappointment of settling for silver at Los Angeles 1984 after missing the top step of the podium by a mere five points.

Of course, Joyner-Kersee bounced back by dominating the next two Olympic heptathlon competitions, and she sees the same potential in the young Hall.

“She’s already there,” the four-time world champion replied when asked what Hall needed to do to reach the top step of the podium at Paris 2024. “And it’s just unfortunate with timing and you don’t ever want to get a slight injury because when you get injured in practice it takes away from your training.

“I think her team and everyone, they’re going to have her ready and I think she already has what it takes to be on the top podium.”

Jackie Joyner-Kersee on the many lessons you can learn from heptathlon: “It’s the greatest sport in the world”

There are so many reasons why Joyner-Kersee is still considered a sporting legend - not least because she excelled in two different events.

But while her long jump career also included winning two World titles, it is the heptathlon - a gruelling, seven-event marathon - that holds the most special place in her heart.

“It’s the greatest sport in the world,” she told us. “I don’t care what sport you do, the basics of athletics is run, jump and throw - and that’s with every sport that you do.

“And then what you’re also able to find with our sport is that it teaches you a lot about yourself.

“It teaches you humility, it also teaches you to be humble but then on the other hand it teaches you confidence. It teaches you about goal-setting, how to survive, how to evolve and how to grow beyond the sport.

“Because in athletics, things happen. And in life, things happen. But you have to learn how to adapt and to adjust - and that’s one of the great things about the multi-event.”