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Teenage hurdler who competed in Rio Olympics commits to Kentucky

Herald-Leader Staff Report
The United States' Sydney McLaughlin competes in a women's 400-meter hurdles heat during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016.
The United States' Sydney McLaughlin competes in a women's 400-meter hurdles heat during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. David J. Phillip AP

Kentucky track and field coach Edrick Floreal got a commitment from Olympic hurdler Sydney McLaughlin on Monday, according to NJ.com.

At 17 years old, McLaughlin was the youngest United States track and field Olympian since 1972. She qualified with a third-place finish in the 400 hurdles at the U.S. trials, and that performance set a world junior record at 54.15 seconds.

At the Rio Olympics, McLaughlin advanced to the semifinals, but failed to advance to the finals after finishing fifth in her heat.

“One big reason why McLaughlin chose the Wildcats is because of the presence of world record holder Kendra Harrison. Harrison, who broke the world record in the 100 hurdles this past summer, is a 2015 graduate of Kentucky and a current member of its coaching staff,” NJ.com’s Jim Lambert reported.

This story was originally published November 14, 2016 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Teenage hurdler who competed in Rio Olympics commits to Kentucky."

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