Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
![]() McLaughlin at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Sydney Michelle McLaughlin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | New Brunswick, New Jersey[1] | August 7, 1999|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Employer | New Balance[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | Kentucky Wildcats (2018)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by |
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Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal bests | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sydney Michelle McLaughlin (born August 7, 1999) is an American hurdler and sprinter and Olympic gold medalist who competed for the University of Kentucky for one year before turning professional in 2018.[6] She is the current world record holder in the women's 400 meters hurdles with a time of 51.46 seconds, set on August 4, 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics in the final run.[7][8] She was the first woman to break 52 seconds in the event when she set the world record of 51.90 at the 2020 USA Olympic trials.[4]
She won the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 m hurdles and subsequently won the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, beating the reigning gold medalist, teammate Dalilah Muhammad, who finished second. McLaughlin won the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in the 400 m hurdles. She placed third in the 400 m hurdles at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, and was the youngest athlete to qualify for the U.S. track and field team for the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she finished 16th overall.[9]
Early life
She was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. [10] She is the daughter of Willie McLaughlin, a semi-finalist in the 400 m at the 1984 Olympic Trials.[9] He was the recipient of a heart transplant in February 2021. Her mother, Mary, was a high school runner.[11]
A resident of Dunellen, New Jersey, she is a member of the class of 2017 at Union Catholic Regional High School in Scotch Plains, and has been successful academically.[12][13][14] McLaughlin took up running at an early age, following brother Taylor and their older sister Morgan.[12] Taylor, who ran for the University of Michigan, took silver at the 400 m hurdles at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships.[9] Her younger brother, Ryan, also was a track stand-out at Union Catholic.[15]
Early career
McLaughlin placed a close second behind Shamier Little in the 400-meter hurdles at the national junior (under-20) championships in 2014; her time of 55.63 was a national high school freshman record and a world age-14 best.[16][17] She would have qualified to represent the United States at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, but was a year too young to be eligible.[18] McLaughlin also set a world age group best (13.34) in the 100-meter hurdles over 76.2 cm (2 ft 6 in) hurdles that summer.[17]
McLaughlin improved her 400-meter hurdles best to 55.28 at the 2015 national youth trials; the time was an age 15 world best, and ranked second on the all-time world youth list behind Leslie Maxie's world youth best (and national high school record) of 55.20 set in 1984.[18] She qualified for the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, where she won gold in 55.94; she finished the year as the world youth and junior leader in the event.[19]
McLaughlin won the 400-meter hurdles in 54.46 at the 2016 New Balance national outdoor high school championships; the time broke Maxie's prep record and world youth best, as well as Lashinda Demus's American junior record of 54.70.[20] In addition, she ran on Union Catholic's team in the Swedish medley relay, running a fast 50.93 split for 400 meters as the team set a new high school record of 2:07.99.[20] McLaughlin won the USATF junior championship in 54.54 the following week; in recognition of her accomplishments, she was named Gatorade National Girls Athlete of the Year.[13][21]
McLaughlin was part of an American Record quartet that broke the indoor distance medley relay world record with a time of 10:40.31, set at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on January 28, 2017. The splits for the four legs were: 3:18.40 (1200 m) by Olympic medalist Emma Coburn, 52.32 (400 m) by McLaughlin, 2:01.92 (800 m) by Brenda Martinez, and 4:27.66 (1600 m) by Olympic medalist and former world 1500m champion Jenny Simpson.[22] Later that indoor season, McLaughlin lowered her own national 400-meter record to a 51.61 at the New Balance Nationals in New York City on March 12, 2017.[23]
McLaughlin won her heat (55.46) and semi-final (55.23) in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials.[19][24] In the final she placed third in 54.15, setting a new world youth best and world junior record and qualifying for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro before her senior year in high school.[25] McLaughlin is the youngest athlete to make the American Olympic track and field team since Carol Lewis and Denean Howard qualified for the boycotted Moscow Olympics in 1980.[26] At the Olympics she placed 5th in her semi-final heat, failing to advance to the finals.[27]
In April 2017, McLaughlin opened her outdoor season by breaking the 300 m hurdles national high school record at the Arcadia Invitational, running 38.90. The record was previously held by Lashinda Demus who ran 39.98 in 2001. The record was the first ever attempt over 300m hurdles for McLaughlin as high school track meets in New Jersey do not contest the 300m hurdles. Her time of 38.90 is considered to be a North American record and number 2 all-time worldwide behind Zuzana Hejnova who ran 38.16 in 2013.[28] Later that month, McLaughlin ran the fastest ever high school girls (400 m) relay split during the Championship of America high school girls 4x400 at the 123rd Penn Relays. After taking the baton at the back of an eight-team field, McLaughlin posted a split of 50.37, passing five teams to lead her Union Catholic relay team to a third-place finish in 3:38.92.[29] She bettered this mark at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Meet on June 18, 2017. Taking the baton in 6th place on the final handoff, she passed five runners to lead Union Catholic to victory, posting a split of 49.85 seconds.[30]
McLaughlin was named the Gatorade National Female Athlete of the Year in 2015–16 and 2016–17. She was the first athlete to repeat in the then-15-year history of the award. At the age of 17 she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when she won the award the second time in July 2017 and the magazine said she "ranks as one of the most dominant high school athletes ever."[31]
University of Kentucky
In November 2016, McLaughlin signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Kentucky and compete for their track and field program.[32][33]
In March 2018, McLaughlin set the world junior 400-meter record (50.36) at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.
On May 13, 2018, McLaughlin broke the collegiate and NCAA record in the 400 m hurdles, running 52.75 to win the event in her first SEC championship appearance.[34]
Professional career
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In June 2018, after one year at Kentucky, she forfeited her eligibility to compete in college to turn professional, and signed a sponsorship deal with New Balance in October of the same year.[35][36]
After a bidding war, she got an estimated $1.5 million in annual base pay from New Balance. Instead of hiring an agent specializing in athletes, McLaughlin contracted with William Morris Endeavor, a firm that typically represents Hollywood stars.[37]
Achievements
Information from World Athletics unless otherwise noted.[38]
Personal bests
Surface | Distance | Time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outdoor | 400 m hurdles | 51.46 | August 4, 2021 | Tokyo, Japan | OR World record |
300 m hurdles | 38.90 | April 9, 2017 | Arcadia, California, U.S. | American high school record | |
100 m hurdles | 12.65 | May 9, 2021 | Walnut, California, U.S. | ||
400 m | 50.07 | March 30, 2018 | Gainesville, Florida, U.S. | ||
200 m | 22.39 | March 29, 2018 | Gainesville, Florida, U.S. | ||
Indoor | 60 m hurdles | 8.17 | March 15, 2015 | New York, New York, U.S. | |
400 m | 50.36 | March 10, 2018 | College Station, Texas, U.S. | Under-20 North American record[note 1] | |
300 m | 36.12 | December 8, 2017 | Bloomington, Indiana, U.S. | Under-20 world record[41] | |
200 m | 22.68 | March 9, 2018 | College Station, Texas, U.S. |
International championships
Year | Competition | Position | Event | Venue | Time | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | World Youth Championships | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Cali, Colombia | 55.94 | CR |
2016 | Olympic Games | 16th | 400 m hurdles | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 56.22 | |
2019 | World Championships | 2nd | 400 m hurdles | Doha, Qatar | 52.23 | PB, #3 all-time |
1st | 4×400 m relay | 3:18.92 | WL, 48.8 split | |||
2021 | Olympic Games | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Tokyo, Japan | 51.46 | OR WR |
Circuit wins and titles
- Diamond League champion (400 m h): 2019[42]
- 2019 (3) (400 m h): Oslo Bislett Games, Monaco Herculis, Zürich Weltklasse
National championships
Year | Competition | Position | Event | Venue | Time | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | NSAF Indoor Nationals | 11th | 60 m hurdles | New York, New York | 8.67 | [43] |
4th | 4×200 m relay | 1:40.61 | [44] | |||
NSAF Nationals | 2nd | 100 m hurdles | Greensboro, North Carolina | 13.34 | (+0.5 m/s wind), PB[45] | |
7th | 4×200 m relay | 1:41.42 | [46] | |||
1st | 400 m hurdles | 56.89 | PB[47] | |||
USATF Junior Championships | 2nd | 400 m hurdles | Eugene, Oregon | 55.63 | PB | |
2015 | NSAF Indoor Nationals | 1st | 60 m hurdles | New York, New York | 8.17 | PB[48] |
NSAF Nationals | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Greensboro, North Carolina | 55.87 | SB[49] | |
U.S. World Youth Trials | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Lisle, Illinois | 55.28 | PB | |
2016 | NSAF Indoor Nationals | 1st | 400 m | New York, New York | 51.84 | CR, PB[50] |
1st | 4×400 m relay | 3:40.28 | CR[51] | |||
NSAF Nationals | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Greensboro, North Carolina | 54.46 | CR, PB[52] | |
USATF Junior Championships | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Clovis, California | 54.54 | ||
U.S. Olympic Trials | 3rd | 400 m hurdles | Eugene, Oregon | 54.15 | PB | |
2017 | NSAF Indoor Nationals | 1st | 400 m | New York, New York | 51.61 | CR, PB[53] |
NSAF Nationals | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Greensboro, North Carolina | 54.22 | CR[54] | |
USATF Championships | 6th | 400 m hurdles | Sacramento, California | 53.82 | PB | |
2018 | NCAA Division I Indoor Championships | 2nd | 400 m | College Station, Texas | 50.36 | PB |
5th | 4×400 m relay | 3:30.08 | ||||
4th | 200 m | 22.80 | ||||
NCAA Division I Championships | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Eugene, Oregon | 53.96 | ||
4th | 4×400 m relay | 3:30.52 | ||||
2019 | USATF Championships | 2nd | 400 m hurdles | Des Moines, Iowa | 52.88 | SB |
2021 | U.S. Olympic Trials | 1st | 400 m hurdles | Eugene, Oregon | 51.90 | WR |
400 m hurdles progression
Year | Time | Location | Day |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | 55.63 | Eugene, Oregon, U.S. | July 6 |
2015 | 55.28 | Lisle, Illinois, U.S. | July 1 |
2016 | 54.15 | Eugene, Oregon, U.S. | July 10 |
2017 | 53.82 | Sacramento, California, U.S. | June 25 |
2018 | 52.75 | Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | May 13 |
2019 | 52.23 | Doha, Qatar | October 4 |
2021 | 51.46 | Tokyo, Japan | August 4 |
Personal life
McLaughlin belongs to an athletic family; her father Willie was a semi-finalist in the 400 meters at the 1984 Olympic Trials, her mother Mary was a runner in high school, and her older brother Taylor won silver in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships.[12] She also has an older sister, Morgan, and a younger brother, Ryan.[15]
McLaughlin is an outspoken Evangelical Christian and member of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC). [55]
Her mother is white and her father is black.
She is in a relationship with Andre Levrone Jr. (born March 9, 1995), who graduated from the University of Virginia in 2017 and played parts of three seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL before leaving the league.[56][57]
Notes
- ^ Though her indoor 400 m time of 50.36 s is faster than the world under-20 record as recognized by World Athletics, it has not been ratified and is not listed as pending ratification as of June 2021.[39][40]
References
- ^ a b "Sydney McLaughlin". United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ Zaccardi, Nick (October 15, 2018). "Sydney McLaughlin signs with New Balance". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN KENTUCKY". Track & Field Results Reporting System. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Schad, Tom; Dragon, Tyler (June 28, 2021). "Sydney McLaughlin breaks world record in 400-meter hurdles to win U.S. Olympic trials". USA Today. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Cherry, Gene (January 25, 2019). "Athletics: McLaughlin set to start pro career but not in hurdles". Reuters. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Boylan-Pett, Liam (October 24, 2017). "The Track Phenom Who Chose College Over Riches". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "Athletics - Final Results - Women's 400 m hurdles (Tokyo 2020)". IOC. August 4, 2021.
- ^ https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/news/sydney-mclaughlin-smashes-world-record-to-win-gold-in-women-s-400m-hurdles-final Sydney McLaughlin smashes world record to win gold in women's 400m hurdles final
- ^ a b c "Sydney McLaughlin Biography, Olympic Medals, and Age". Olympics.com. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ Leiker, Emily. "Sydney McLaughlin breaks own world record at Tokyo Olympics, wins gold". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ NJ.com, Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for (July 30, 2021). "Tokyo Olympics: Cheering Sydney McLaughlin, with every beat of his new heart | Politi". nj. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Track: Union Catholic siblings Taylor and Sydney McLaughlin were born to run". The Star-Ledger. January 29, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Konecky, Chad (June 27, 2016). "Sydney McLaughlin wins Gatorade National Track & Field Athlete of the Year". USA Today. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Staff. "Union Catholic Track Star Will Be Youngest U.S. Track Star in Olympics", TAP into Union, July 11, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2016. "Sydney McLaughlin a member of the Class of 2017 at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains, set a high school and new world junior record in the women's 400 hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trails. 'All the pressure I put on myself,' McLaughlin, a resident of Dunellen, said in her post-race interview on NBC, which will air the games from Brazil next month."
- ^ a b NJ.com, Patrick Lanni | NJ Advance Media for (May 20, 2017). "Not afraid of family legacy, UC's Ryan McLaughlin adds to county title haul". nj. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ Mazzone, Stephen (July 14, 2014). "Sydney McLaughlin is Too Good to Be Only 14". MileSplit. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Butler, Mark (ed.). "IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 Statistics Handbook". IAAF Communications Department: 525.
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(help) - ^ a b Mulkeen, Jon (July 1, 2015). "McLaughlin, Hill and Lyles impress at US Youth Championships". Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Tilastopaja (registration required)
- ^ a b "McLaughlin's record-shattering performances earn AOW honors". USA Track & Field. June 21, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Jordan, Jason (July 13, 2016). "Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year Sydney McLaughlin has rare talents away from the track". USA Today. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "Coburn, McLaughlin, Martinez, Simpson Break DMR World Record". FloTrack. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ "Sydney McLaughlin Lowers Own National Record to 51.61".
- ^ Lambert, Jim (July 10, 2016). "Rio 2016: N.J. high school phenom McLaughlin aims to make Olympic Team on Sunday". NJ.com. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Young, Dennis (July 10, 2016). "16-Year-Old Sydney McLaughlin Makes Olympic Team With World Junior Record". FloTrack. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Lambert, Jim (July 10, 2016). "Rio 2016: N.J. HS phenom Sydney McLaughlin runs her way onto the Olympic team". NJ.com. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
- ^ "Olympic Track & Field Results: Sydney McLaughlin Doesn't Qualify In 400M Hurdles". NESN.com. August 17, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ "Sydney McLaughlin Breaks 300m Hurdles National High School Record - FloTrack".
- ^ "ALL-USA Watch: Sydney McLaughlin runs another astonishing split at Penn Relays". April 29, 2017.
- ^ "Track phenom Sydney McLaughlin's historic race - ESPN Video". June 21, 2017.
- ^ Greene, Dan. "Sydney McLaughlin is Gatorade Athlete of the Year". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ Lambert, Jim (November 14, 2016). "N.J. teen Olympian Sydney McLaughlin has picked her college. The winner is..." nj.com. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
- ^ "UKTF Signing Sydney McLaughlin Sweeps 2016 Awards". University of Kentucky. Retrieved June 19, 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "McLaughlin smashes own world U20 400m hurdles record with 52.75 in Knoxville | REPORT | World Athletics".
- ^ Fisher, Chris (June 10, 2019). "Kentucky freshman phenom Sydney McLaughlin to turn pro". 247Sports. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ Stunson, Mike (October 16, 2018). "Former UK track star McLaughlin signs with New Balance after 'huge bidding war'". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
- ^ "Sydney McLaughlin on Owning Her Career". Women's Running. January 6, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ "ATHLETE PROFILE Sydney MCLAUGHLIN". World Athletics. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Fleming, Joe (May 10, 2018). "What will record-breaking Kentucky freshman track star Sydney McLaughlin do next?". USA Today. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ "World U20 Records". World Athletics. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Most, Jake (December 8, 2017). "Sydney McLaughlin Sets World Junior 300m Record in UK Debut". Kentucky Wildcats. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ Kelly, Madeline (August 29, 2019). "Sydney McLaughlin beats world record holder to win Diamond League final". Canadian Running Magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
- ^ "Event 16 Girls 60 Meter Hurdles Championship". Delta Timing Group. March 16, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 18 Girls 4x200 Meter Relay Championship". Delta Timing Group. March 16, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 16 Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 30 Girls 4x200 Meter Relay Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 18 Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 16 Girls 60 Meter Hurdles Championship". Delta Timing Group. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 6 Girls 400 Meter Run Championship". Delta Timing Group. March 16, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 20 Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Championship". Delta Timing Group. March 16, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 18 Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 6 Girls 400 Meter Run Championship". Delta Timing Group. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Event 18 Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Championship". New Balance. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ Shields, Christian (June 28, 2021). "Sydney McLaughlin gives 'all the glory to God' after setting 400m hurdles world record". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ "Andre Levrone Jr. podcast, Former NFL Player". Sports Spectrum. November 6, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ "Andre Levrone Stats, News, Bio". ESPN. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1999 births
- Living people
- American female sprinters
- American female hurdlers
- African-American female track and field athletes
- People from Dunellen, New Jersey
- Sportspeople from Union County, New Jersey
- Track and field athletes from New Jersey
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Kentucky Wildcats women's track and field athletes
- World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States
- World Athletics Championships medalists
- Diamond League winners
- World Athletics Championships winners
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field