As a kid we all dream of representing our country at our chosen sport on the grandest stage possible. Few of us ever reach that goal as an adult but for Sydney McLaughlin she'll get the chance in Rio still as a child.
If I'm honest as an overweight 'adult' who is terrible at sport there's still a part of me that thinks I'll one day represent England, Britain or maybe even Europe at some sort of sporting event- just want that on record so Big Sam doesn't think I've retired from international football when he gets the England job.
Anyway back to U.S runner Sydney McLaughlin. The 16 year old, who will turn 17 during the Olympics, will become the youngest track and field athlete to compete at the games for the US since 1972 after qualifying for the 400m hurdles.
The teenager finished third at the U.S trials at the weekend to guarantee her place on the plane for Rio and became the youngest athlete to be in the squad to represent her country since 1980 when Carol Lewis qualified but the country boycotted the games in Russia.
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Speaking after the race Sydney, who broke the world junior record for the event, revealed she wasn't really eyeing a place on the squad saying, "My mind was on finishing the race and eating a cheeseburger."
And she was clearly ecstatic to have qualified adding, "I can't believe this is happening right now...Just hearing the word Olympics was a dream in the back of my mind. I was like, 'Oh yeah I'm going to the trials,' but it's not going to happen. It was never really on my radar, until I ran 54 (seconds)."
The last US athlete to compete on the track younger than the New Jersey athlete was Cindy Gilbert who was 15 years and 75 days at the 1972 games.
Good luck Sydney you've outdone us all aged 16, incredible!
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(Via Team USA)
Featured Image Credit:Topics: olympic games, USA