Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone celebrated her latest gold medal like the queen that she is.
On Aug. 8, McLaughlin-Levrone, 25, not only won the gold medal in 400-meter hurdles in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she also broke the world record. And it was a world record that she held.
When she crossed the finish line in 50.37 seconds, she — like many track and field athletes — went to the stands at Stade de France where family and friends are watching, and it was there that a sparkling tiara was bestowed upon her. She came back to the track wearing the tiara and picked up the American flag to celebrate her win to raucous cheers from the crowd.
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McLaughlin-Levrone told PEOPLE on Aug. 9 that her sister-in-law actually brought the tiara for her.
“She told me months ago she would bring it, and it just was a really cute, fun thing,” she said. “She was like, ‘I’m going to crown you.'”
Following the race, the Olympian told reporters that she was “sporting the crown for her.”
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McLaughlin-Levrone’s medal was also the 100th for Team USA at this Olympics, an honor that the athlete told PEOPLE was “super special.”
“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” she said.
The track star previously set the world record time in the event in June with 50.65 seconds — beating her own Olympic record, set during the Tokyo Games. She won the gold medal during that Olympic games as well.
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Next on her list of celebrations is a simple one: a really good meal.
“I’m gonna celebrate with some good food,” she told PEOPLE. “Some very good food. A cheeseburger is first.”
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