All it takes is one for McLaughlin to be No. 1

Union Catholic NJ senior, U.S. Olympian breaks national high school, American records in 300-meter hurdles in only career race at the distance at 50th Arcadia Invitational

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Sydney McLaughlin arrived at the 50th Arcadia Invitational with more world records to her credit than career races in the 300-meter hurdles.

But all it took was one opportunity for McLaughlin to become the fastest American female in history Saturday at Arcadia High.

McLaughlin, a senior at Union Catholic NJ who competed in the 400 hurdles at the Rio Olympics, made the most of her one chance to race the 300 hurdles during her prep career, clocking 38.90 seconds to eclipse the 2001 national high school record of 39.98 set by former Long Beach Wilson CA star Lashinda Demus.

“We’ve talked about this and the fact that I’ve never run it before is interesting. We were like, ‘This is the one chance.’ I’ll never be able to (after this), so I was like, ‘Let’s take the chance. What do I have to lose?’ It’s one and done and I won’t be able to do it again,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t think the record was my main focus, just being able to run the race was my main focus. I think the record was just kind of an add on.

“But to break Lashinda Demus’ record, it’s scary. It’s amazing because I look up to her so much and everything she’s done so far is what inspired me, so it’s amazing to have been able to do that just now.”

McLaughlin not only lowered Demus’ prep standard by more than a second, she also eclipsed the American record of 39.73 set in 2001 by Kim Batten.

Only Zuzana Hejnova of Czech Republic’s 38.16 from 2013 and Senegal’s Mame Tacko Diouf clocking 38.6 in 1999 are faster all-time marks in the world than McLaughlin’s performance, the 30th national high school record set in the history of the Arcadia Invitational.

McLaughlin now boasts national high school records indoors at 300 (36.82) and 400 (51.61), along with outdoors in the 300 hurdles and 400 hurdles, the latter a 54.15 when she placed third in the U.S. Olympic Trials in July to also establish new World Youth and World Junior standards. She added a world indoor record in the distance medley relay Jan. 28 by teaming with Emma Coburn, Brenda Martinez and Jenny Simpson to clock 10:40.31 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

“We looked at my Olympic Trials race and we stopped at the 300 and I was at 38.8, so to be able to come out here and run 38.9 and have a sloppy race and knowing in a 400, I would have two more hurdles, it’s amazing to know that’s where I’m at right now,” McLaughlin said. “The 300 hurdles are foreign to me. But it’s my last year in high school and I wanted to go out there and do something I’ve never done because I don’t want to leave high school knowing that I could have tried that or I could have done that.”

McLaughlin worked out Friday at the Arcadia track and was involved in extensive dialogue with Union Catholic coaches Mike McCabe and Luis Cartagena about adjusting her step pattern to compensate for starting the race on a straightaway instead of the curve to which she is usually accustomed.

It made for some anxious moments before and during the race for McLaughlin, who still managed to hold off 300 hurdles veterans Shae Anderson of Norco (40.41) and reigning California state champion Jurnee Woodward of Vacaville (41.10).

“Starting on a straightaway, you’re just going so much faster, so we had to switch my feet (Friday), which I’m so not used to, and I was like ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ All day, I was worrying, what about my steps, what if I stutter, what if I switch,” McLaughlin said. “It was a lot to ask, but at the same time, I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to happen in a 400 hurdles race where I have to switch and things are going to happen, but it’s a learning experience and it was fun. It went by so quick.”

With a combined 60 indoor and outdoor hurdles races on her prep resume ranging from 55 to 400 meters, McLaughlin’s final act at Arcadia wasn’t just about navigating over eight 30-inch barriers successfully, it was about completing a chapter in her high school career by returning to the site of her first outdoor race in 2014 as a member of Union Catholic’s 4x200 relay team that placed fourth.

“I love California. I’ve told my coach since freshman year, I want to go back to Arcadia. I think I kind of wimped out on the 400 my freshman year because of a small injury, but I think more of it was nerves,” McLaughlin said. “I wanted to redeem myself and go out there and run. Just coming back here, being able to come full circle and to come out with a national record is amazing.”

McLaughlin also helped Anderson and Woodward redefine their goals for the California state final June 3, creating an exceptional challenge for either competitor by chasing a new record.

“I was able to stay pretty close to Sydney, which is pretty awesome,” said Anderson, who elevated to the No. 7 all-time U.S. prep performer.

“Hopefully, by the time state comes, I can get close to that time, maybe break the record she just broke.”