The world was introduced to Olympian Sydney McLaughlin on Monday at the Summer Games in Rio.
McLaughlin is somewhat of a prodigy in that she just turned 17 last week and is competing for the U.S. track and field team. She’s the youngest track and field Olympian for Team USA since 1972.
McLaughlin, who is from New Jersey, finished third in the 400m hurdles at the Olympic trials. She barely qualified for the semifinals at the Olympics after finishing fifth in her heat, but she nonetheless moved on to the next round.
We often see Olympians compete and sometimes medal around 15 or 16, but that’s in sports like swimming or gymnastics — not track and field. McLaughlin is competing in track and has made the semis. She just turned 17. She is going to be a star for the 2020 Games in Tokyo, guaranteed.
To put things in context, McLaughlin will be a senior in high school next year and does not have her driver’s license yet. Cosmo has a story with 12 cool facts on McLaughlin for more.
As you could imagine, those on social media took to McLaughlin.
Wifey Sydney McLaughlin pic.twitter.com/fktQdsUi2W
— YoungBoiWood (@NathanSeawood) August 16, 2016
Sydney McLaughlin need to hurdle into my life pic.twitter.com/1J6q7qzcic
— It$Millo⁶ (@AmiriMilan3) August 16, 2016
Sydney McLaughlin , before she gets social media popular. pic.twitter.com/SvngRE5j3c
— Rodney J (@KingJulianDa_II) August 16, 2016
Don’t get any ideas:
Chris Hansen is watching ya'll tweet about Sydney McLaughlin #Haveaseatoverhere pic.twitter.com/pt45jSrrIl
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) August 16, 2016
