Heidi Heleniak
Local residents wait to welcome hometown Olympian Sydney McLaughlin back from Rio.
Dunellen’s first Olympian Sydney McLaughlin was honored in a ceremony held at Columbia Park this past Saturday.
McLaughlin started this year’s track season with some stumbles (her and her mother’s health issues) but finished with the kind of success that usually does not come to a track athlete at such a young age.
The rising-senior at Union Catholic High School broke her own World Youth Best and World Junior Record time when she competed at July’s US Olympic Trials in the 400m Hurdles, won the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in the 400m Hurdles, and won two events at the New Balance High School National Championships (400m Hurdles and Swedish medley relay). Awards that she collected included Gatorade Athlete of the Year, NJ.com’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and USATF Athlete of the Week.
It was what happened earlier this month that truly made it a season to remember: McLaughlin, as the youngest US track and field team in over four decades, made it to the 400m Hurdles semifinals at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
That accomplishment was also why a cheering crowd of over 500 family members, friends, and fans wearing red, white and blue attire greeted her and her family as they entered Columbia Park. Many had been waiting for years for this day. When asked if he ever thought McLaughlin would make the Olympics, longtime Dunellen resident Mark Olsommer said, “Everyone knew since she was young.” His daughter was a classmate of McLaughlin before she left the school system to attend Union Catholic.
The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Dunellen High School Athletic Director Dave DeNapoli, the self-declared “president of the Sydney McLaughlin Fan Club.” DeNapoli started the ceremony by thanking McLaughlin’s parents for their dedication to the town. Willie McLaughlin volunteers with the Dunellen varsity track program and Mary McLaughlin donated her time at Faber Elementary School.
DeNapoli then honored older brother Taylor McLaughlin with a plaque for his own successful season. The rising-sophomore at University of Michigan won the silver medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles at the IAAF World Under 20 Championships and got gold at both the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships and the Big Ten Championships. He also advanced to the semifinal round of the 400 hurdles at the US Olympic Trials.
Heidi Heleniak
Jerry Green, who represents Dunellen and the 22nd District in the NJ State Assembly, presents Sydney McLaughlin with a joint resolution honoring her achievements.
Several speeches praising Sydney McLaughlin followed. Speaker Pro Tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly Jerry Green presented McLaughlin with a New Jersey Legislature joint resolution which honored her athletic accomplishments, commenting that McLaughlin brought “pride to the track and pride to the state of NJ.”
Faber Principal Gary Lubisco and Dunellen School Superintendent Gene Mosley shared stories regarding McLaughlin’s time at Faber and Lincoln Middle School and her recent success. Mosley joked that those in attendance should take out their phones and add an event to their calendar: a return to Columbia Park in four years to celebrate McLaughlin’s success at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Mike McCabe, Union Catholic’s track and field coach, spoke about the Olympics being the goal that he and McLaughlin worked toward, although it was initially the Toyko Olympics they had in mind.
Willie McLaughlin shared the pride he feels towards his family and how his children have been successful because they have “put in the work” both academically and athletically. He commended his daughter Sydney for her composure during the Olympics, “As great as it may seem on television the stress level is off the scale, and Sydney handled it beautifully.” He himself had felt tremendous pressure when he made it through to the Men’s 400m Hurdles semifinals at the 1984 US Olympic Trials.
McLaughlin then briefly addressed the crowd, thanking everyone who has been supporting her. “To be one of the people representing our small little one-mile town is absolutely amazing.”
Heidi Heleniak
Dunellen resident Sydney McLaughlin and her brother Taylor reveal the new sign in front of Columbia Park, acknowledging her 2016 athletic accomplishments.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Mayor Bob Seader presented McLaughlin with a symbolic “keys to the city” plaque and then revealed that the town will be posting wooden banners acknowledging her accomplishments on Washington Avenue’s “Welcome to Dunellen” signs. The attendees were invited to move to the entrance of Columbia Park where McLaughlin and her brother Taylor unveiled a smaller banner that is attached to the park sign. Afterward, she stayed to pose for photos and sign autographs.
Heidi Heleniak
Special acknowledgment was made to Lou DeLauro, McLaughlin’s fifth grade teacher who taught her how to juggle. This skill, considered unique to those outside of Dunellen, has been mentioned by major news outlets around the world. The week prior to the Olympics, McLaughlin was assisting in his juggling camp at Faber Elementary School.
Also present at the event were former Recreation Director Clem Santy, Council President Kenneth Baudendistel, Council Members Jason Cilento and Jeremy Lowder, and members of the Recreation Commission. Middlesex County Freeholder Ken Armwood made a brief appearance but left early to attend a parade for gold medal gymnast Laurie Hernandez in Old Bridge. The ceremony was planned by Recreation Department Director Alex Miller and the Recreation Commission volunteers.