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Olympian Sydney McLaughlin Comes Home to Dunellen

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Sydney McLaughlin, Gatorade AOTY

Dunellen will salute hometown Olympian Sydney McLaughlin on Saturday morning during a “celebration ceremony” to welcome the 17-year-old hurdler home from Rio. Residents are encouraged to arrive at Columbia Park by 10:30 a.m. on Saturday wearing red, white and blue. The ceremony for McLaughlin will include an award presentation by Mayor Bob Seader. McLaughlin, a Dunellen resident, is the youngest track and field Olympian for Team USA since 1972. And on August 15 and 16, her hometown cheered her on as she competed in Rio, 5000 miles away. Continue Reading →

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McLaughlin Going to Rio, Breaks World Record

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award ribbon

Dunellen’s Sydney McLaughlin is going to the 2016 Summer Olympics. The 16-year-old, who will be a senior at Union Catholic High School this fall, placed third in the Olympic Trials’ 400m hurdles finals, securing the last of the three available spots. The other two spots went to Dalilah Muhammad who had the fastest times in both previous runs, and Ashley Spencer. Not only did her time of time of 54.15 give McLaughlin a plane ticket to Rio, it also broke the World Junior (U20) record of 54.40 Wang Xing of China set in 2005. According to statements made to USA Track & Field, McLaughlin did not think that making the Olympics was a possibility until recently. Continue Reading →

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Sydney McLaughlin Advances to Olympic Trial Finals

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award ribbon

Dunellen’s Sydney McLaughlin won her heat in the US Olympic Trials Women’s 400m Hurdles Semifinals in Oregon on Friday [VIDEO]. She again came in second overall behind Dalilah Muhammad, who at 26 is a decade older than Sydney. Sydney advances to the final on Sunday, July 10 at 7:03 PM. It will be televised on NBC. The top three finishers will represent the USA at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Continue Reading →

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McLaughlins advance to Olympic semifinals

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award ribbon

Siblings Taylor and Sydney McLaughlin both advance to the semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials for the 400m hurdles. Sydney, who at 16 years old was just named Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, finished first in her qualifying heat with a time of 55.46. She finished second overall, behind Dalilah Muhammad. Although Taylor, who just finished his freshman year at the University of Michigan, did not finish in the top three of his heat, he did have a time fast enough to qualify for the last spot left in the semifinals (51.24). Whether or not the McLaughlins make it to Rio, they are guaranteed some international competition. Continue Reading →

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Lily Yip Table Tennis Center Hosts 2016 Olympic Team

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Dunellen residents were able to meet the U.S. Olympic Table Tennis Team at a fundraiser held at the Lily Yip Table Tennis Center (LYTTC) June 18. Part of the USA Table Tennis (USATT) “Friends with Paddles” fundraising initiative, the event featured the six members of the Olympic team who actually arrived days prior to the challenge for additional training. They were pitted against LYTTC players, including former US National Team Champions and two highly-ranked Chinese players currently hosted by the center. After the program, sponsors and players celebrated the $25,000 raised at Cheng Du 1 Palace in Green Brook. Although the US Olympic Trials were held in Greensboro, North Carolina in February, team members were not guaranteed a spot in the Olympics. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Sports, lily yip, lyttc, olympics, ping pong, table tennis