Two and a half years have passed since Sydney McLaughlin became the youngest American track athlete to make the Olympics in four decades. On Saturday, the 19-year-old hurdler took the first step in her professional career—and the result was another victory.
McLaughlin wowed the crowd in her pro debut at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston when she won the 500-meter sprint in 1:09.46. Her performance, which appeared to be executed with ease, was nearly three seconds faster than the rest of the field.
In addition to making her debut as a pro, the 400-meter hurdles specialist ran the 500-meter distance for the first time ever. Her final time lands eleventh on the U.S. all-time performance list behind eight other athletes, and is currently the world lead in the event.
McLaughlin announced her decision to turn pro over the summer following her freshman year at the University of Kentucky, where she earned an NCAA title in the 400-meter hurdles and broke the NCAA record. Prior to her first and only collegiate season, McLaughlin competed at the 2016 Olympic Games, where she placed fifth in the Rio semifinal, just a few days after her 17th birthday.
In August 2018, she signed with talent agency WME (William Morris Endeavor), which also represents Allyson Felix, Cam Newton, and Serena Williams in areas such as business, endorsements, content development, and fashion. In October, McLaughlin announced her shoe sponsor as New Balance.
After the race on Saturday, McLaughlin told reporters that she does not have a time goal in mind for the 400-meter hurdles this season, but she does hope to run a personal best. Her fastest mark in the event is 52.75, a world junior record which she achieved on her way to winning the SEC championship for Kentucky in May 2018. That performance puts her eighth on the U.S. all-time list. The world record is 52.34.
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When asked by reporters if the world record is one of her goals, McLaughlin replied, “I mean it’s always in the back of my mind, but it’s not my main focus. If it comes, it comes, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, so we’ll just see where it goes.”
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
