McLaughlin contributes to world record DMR

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

BOSTON, Mass. – Add world record holder to the running resume of high school senior Sydney McLaughlin. 

Saturday at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, McLaughlin ran the 400-meter leg on the United States all-star distance medley relay team with New Balance professionals Emma Coburn (1,200), Brenda Martinez (800) and Jenny Simpson (1,600) to set a new world indoor DMR record of 10 minutes, 40.31 seconds. INTERVIEWS

“It sounds pretty nice,” McLaughlin said of being part of a world record. “I'm so happy we came and did what we wanted to do.”

McLaughlin, who runs for Union Catholic High NJ, verbally committed to the University of Kentucky in November, but did not officially rule out the thought of turning professional. National Signing Day is set for Wednesday. 

“I don't know yet,” McLaughlin said. “There's a lot to be considered, and a lot to figure out. You know college first, and then we'll go from there.

“I don't know, we'll see what happens.”

After Coburn opened in 3:18.40 and Martinez split 2:01.92, McLaughlin ran 52.32 on her leg Saturday. She said watching Simpson, who closed in 4:27.66, and the clock on the final leg was amazing. 

“I was out of breath cheering for her,” McLaughlin said. “It was very exciting.”

McLaughlin is coming off a summer where she competed in the 400 hurdles at the Olympics in Rio, advancing to the semifinals. 

“It was more controlled, I knew what was expected of me,” McLaughlin said, comparing the Olympic experience to the professional DMR. 

“She handled it like a pro,” Martinez said of McLaughlin.

Martinez was part of the previous indoor world record DMR, anchoring a 2015 lineup that included Mahagony Jones, Megan Krumpoch and Sarah Brown and clocked 10:42.57.

The outdoor world record in the DMR was set at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, with Treniere Moser, Sanya Richards-Ross, Ajee' Wilson and Shannon Rowbury running 10:36.50 in the Bahamas.