WATCH Sydney McLaughlin drop US #5 All-Time, NJ State Record 7.66 55H at 81st annual Eastern States Championship

Eastern States Championships
Johanna Gretschel


Sydney McLaughlin ran US #5 All-Time 7.66 to win the 55-meter hurdles at the 81st annual Eastern States Championship (Photos by Joe Swift).

Despite weather conditions preventing several top performers from attending, the 81st annual Eastern States Championship on Tuesday night was still a barn-burner.

Union Catholic (NJ) sophomore Sydney McLaughlin shook up the night right out of the gate in the 55-meter hurdles with a 7.66 meet record race, which also ranks her as the US #5 all-time performer indoors in the event as well as the New Jersey State Record holder. She was also entered in the open 400m and the long jump, but did compete in either.


Meanwhile, Brenessa Thompson of Medgar Evers College Prep (NY) regained her spot on the national leaderboard tying the US #1 time in the 55 meter dash with a 6.93 clocking in the finals. Thompson ran a leg on the winning Medgar Evers 4x200 as well in 1:40.22 total time.

Nearly a third new US #1 came in the girls DMR from the West Windsor Plainsboro South (NJ) girls challenging sub 12 minutes in the distance medley relay with their 7 second margin of victory in a US #2 performance of 12:01.87. Good thing for their squad to have a buffer going into the anchor leg with Anna Flynn splitting 4:53 on the 1600 meter leg for the runner-up squad from Ursuline School (NY) in 12:08.

Another relay stalwart, Emma Gallagher of Cardozo, ran US #14 2:13.9 800m.

Jessica Molina (Westwood, NJ) entered the meet tied at US #5 with Alyssa Wilson (Donovan Catholic, NJ) in the Shot Put and left at US #4 48-10.

Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, NY) won the Boys 200m in US #4 21.37 over Anton Porter (21.82). Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ) clocked the fastest time in the prelims, US #5 21.37, but did not return for the finals. On the girls side, Quashira McIntosh ran US #5 24.37 200m.

Distance standout Luke Gavigan dropped down to tackle the 800m, clocking US #17 1:54.12.

Several top athletes scheduled to compete who did not show were Catherine Pagano of Northern Highlands, NJ, the top-seeded runner in the 800m and Mile; the Newburgh Free Academy, featuring the US #1 4x200m relay; Bella Burda, US #2 in the 3k; among others.

NJ MileSplit meet recap


Results: