







Competing at New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina, 16-year-old high school junior Sydney McLaughlin won the 400m hurdles in 54.46 seconds. That beats a 32-year-old national record by three-quarters of a second and breaks a 14-year-old American junior record. According to reliable statistician Jon Mulkeen, McLaughlin's time is a world youth best and is the No. 2 world junior mark ever.

Sydney McLaughlin! New 400mH National Record - 54.46 #NBNationals beating the old national record by nearly a second pic.twitter.com/lrkhBArUCE -- MileSplit US (@milesplit) June 19, 2016









WORLD YOUTH BEST & US JUNIOR RECORD - 54.46 in the 400m hurdles for 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin!

Goes to 2nd on world U20 all-time list. -- Jon Mulkeen (@Statman_Jon) June 19, 2016





The Union Catholic (N.J.) junior turns 17 in August. Her time would have been the fastest NCAA regular-season time and second in the NCAA final. As it is, she now has the fifth fastest time in the world this year and the fourth fastest time in the United States.



Add McLaughlin to the growing list of teenagers--including 19-year-old Donavan Brazier and 18-year-old Vashti Cunningham--who will credibly contend for an Olympic spot at the Trials in two weeks. McLaughlin's time would have finished in the top three at each of the last two Olympic Trials.



McLaughlin is the younger sister of Taylor McLaughlin of "whamsauce" internet fame.