Sydney McLaughlin Is First Repeat Winner Of Gatorade Athlete Of The Year
Sydney McLaughlin Is First Repeat Winner Of Gatorade Athlete Of The Year
Sydney McLaughlin becomes the first repeat winner of the Gatorade Athlete of the Year award.
Sydney McLaughlin won the Gatorade National Athlete Of The Year award for the second year in a row on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. She is the first person to ever win the prestigious national high school award more than once, though famous former recipients of the award include the likes of Lebron James and Allyson Felix.
The 17-year-old from New Jersey made the Olympic team last year at 16, making her the youngest track and field Olympian in more than 40 years. She followed her dream year up with a season for the record brooks in 2017, setting national high school records at the indoor 300m (36.82), indoor 400m (51.61), 300m hurdles (38.90) and 400m hurdles (53.82), the latter event being her specialty and the one that took her all the way to the Rio Games. The time is also a world junior record.
She also ran what is believed to be the fastest 400m relay split in high school girls history with a 49.85 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. The split took her team from sixth place to first, as McLaughlin stopped the clock at 2:05.93, a new national high school record.
The male national award winner was MacKenzie Gore, a left-handed pitcher from Whiteville, North Carolina who was drafted by the San Diego Padres as the No. 3 overall pick. The 18-year-old negotiated a $6.7 million signing bonus with the Padres; in his senior year at Whiteville High, he was 11-0 with 0.19 ERA, struck out 158 strikeouts and walked five in 74 1/3 innings.
Though many speculated McLaughlin might turn professional after her stellar year, she is set to attend the University of Kentucky next year, where she plans to set aside the 400m hurdles for a year to focus on the 100m hurdles and long jump. She will work with Wildcats head coach Edrick Floreal, who also trains Keni Harrison, the world record holder for 100m hurdles, and Kori Carter, the NCAA record holder for 400m hurdles.
"I've never seen an athlete with more obvious potential," an unnamed track and field agent told Sports Illustrated at the Gatorade ceremony, who also estimated McLaughlin could stand to immediately earn seven figures annually if she were to turn pro. "She has everything that people are looking for. Unbelievable athletic ability, a lot of charisma, a lot of personality. She's the full package."
McLaughlin finished her season at the USATF Outdoor Championships, where she set her world junior record with a sixth-place finish in the finals. Her future training partners, Harrison and Carter, both advanced to the World Championships with top three finishes in their respective events. McLaughlin has plenty to look forward to on the track.
​Watch Sydney McLaughlin: Prodigy to meet the real Sydney:
Sydney McLaughlin is your #Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year pic.twitter.com/ISPBXNeQBI
— Mike Regalado (@TheBigDisco) July 12, 2017
The 17-year-old from New Jersey made the Olympic team last year at 16, making her the youngest track and field Olympian in more than 40 years. She followed her dream year up with a season for the record brooks in 2017, setting national high school records at the indoor 300m (36.82), indoor 400m (51.61), 300m hurdles (38.90) and 400m hurdles (53.82), the latter event being her specialty and the one that took her all the way to the Rio Games. The time is also a world junior record.
Karl-Anthony Towns reveals that MacKenzie Gore and Sydney McLaughlin will be featured on next week's cover of SI! #GatoradePOY pic.twitter.com/mb5PvcqSNY
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 12, 2017
She also ran what is believed to be the fastest 400m relay split in high school girls history with a 49.85 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. The split took her team from sixth place to first, as McLaughlin stopped the clock at 2:05.93, a new national high school record.
MacKenzie Gore and Sydney McLaughlin are this year's Gatorade Athletes of the Year! #GatoradePOY pic.twitter.com/bCY4LLJOoA
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 12, 2017
The male national award winner was MacKenzie Gore, a left-handed pitcher from Whiteville, North Carolina who was drafted by the San Diego Padres as the No. 3 overall pick. The 18-year-old negotiated a $6.7 million signing bonus with the Padres; in his senior year at Whiteville High, he was 11-0 with 0.19 ERA, struck out 158 strikeouts and walked five in 74 1/3 innings.
Though many speculated McLaughlin might turn professional after her stellar year, she is set to attend the University of Kentucky next year, where she plans to set aside the 400m hurdles for a year to focus on the 100m hurdles and long jump. She will work with Wildcats head coach Edrick Floreal, who also trains Keni Harrison, the world record holder for 100m hurdles, and Kori Carter, the NCAA record holder for 400m hurdles.
"I've never seen an athlete with more obvious potential," an unnamed track and field agent told Sports Illustrated at the Gatorade ceremony, who also estimated McLaughlin could stand to immediately earn seven figures annually if she were to turn pro. "She has everything that people are looking for. Unbelievable athletic ability, a lot of charisma, a lot of personality. She's the full package."
.@Gatorade Athletes of the Year Sydney McLaughlin and MacKenzie Gore show off their trophies and SI cover #GatoradePOY pic.twitter.com/BA43P5M0BB
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 12, 2017
McLaughlin finished her season at the USATF Outdoor Championships, where she set her world junior record with a sixth-place finish in the finals. Her future training partners, Harrison and Carter, both advanced to the World Championships with top three finishes in their respective events. McLaughlin has plenty to look forward to on the track.
​Watch Sydney McLaughlin: Prodigy to meet the real Sydney: