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Junior Year - 2016
The Olympic Year
Looking Ahead...
Sydney McLaughlin's junior year of competition started a little later than her previous campaigns. Her opening indoor meet took place in mid-February at the North Shore Pre-National Invitational, where she hit 24.19 and 53.87 second victories in the 200m and 400m. When referencing high school competition, it should be understood that she won at this point moving forward.
Her indoor season closed with more state titles and a national record in the 400m, as she won New Balance Nationals Indoor with a time of 51.84. The outdoor season saw even more success as she broke countless meet records, set her career best state record in the 400m dash with a 51.87 at the Meet of Champions, took down the American junior record in the 400m hurdles -- running 54.46 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor -- and she and her brother, Taylor McLaughlin, swept the USATF Junior titles in the event the following week.
McLaughlin setting what was at the time a state record of 53.35 at state championships.
One Goal...
There was good reason to cut back on her indoor season. If she wanted a chance at the Olympics, she'd have to extend her competition cycle the furthest it had ever gone. The World Youth Championships took place mid-July, but the Rio Olympic Games would take place in August.
With her high school season finished, there was only one achievement for McLaughlin to focus on: Making the Rio Olympic team. She entered the U.S. Olympic Team Trials with a wave of high school talent looking to make their own mark. At just 16, Sydney McLaughlin was about to make history.
After running 55.46 and 55.23 seconds to advance out of the preliminary and semi-final rounds, the rising star took full advantage of her place in the finals. She stuck around with the best in the nation -- at the American level -- had to offer and crossed the line in third, running 54.15 and clinching her spot on the Olympic team. That time also broke the World Junior record, which was held by China's Wang Xing at 54.40 seconds since 2005.
Olympic Dream...
Sydney turned 17 on August 7, 2016, and one week later she would be in Rio on the biggest stage of her career. The high school Olympian took off around the track during round one and ended up fifth in her heat with a time of 56.32 seconds.
Only the top three finishers automatically advanced, so she needed to secure one of the six wildcard spots. After her fans, friends and family waited and watched the following heats conclude, it was finally realized that her performance had in fact secured one of the remaining wildcard spots.
After the historic semi-final qualification, McLaughlin's long magical season finally came to an end when she finished fifth in the semifinal, running 56.22. She had gained invaluable experience with worldwide competition and pushed her season to the max with 13 races in the 400 meter hurdles alone, starting in April and ending in August.
