Elaine McLaughlin

Elaine McLaughlin
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born (1963-11-17) 17 November 1963 (age 61)
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event400 metres hurdles

Elaine Mary H. McLaughlin (born 17 November 1963) is a Northern Irish former hurdler. She competed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the women's 400 metres hurdles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.[1] She was also a two-time Commonwealth Games finalist for Northern Ireland (1986, 1990) and won the UK Championships 400m hurdles title three times (1987–89).[2]

Career

McLaughlin finished seventh for Northern Ireland in the 400 metres hurdles final at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, won the 1987 UK Championships and finished second at the 1987 WAAA Championships.[3]

McLaughlin's best season came in 1988. With a pre-season best of 57.48 secs in 1987, she ran 56.22 to win the second of her three UK Championship titles in June 1988, improved her best to 56.09 in August 1988, when finishing second to Sally Gunnell at the AAA Championships/Olympic trials, earning Olympic selection, and ended the season achieving a lifetime best of 55.91 in the semifinals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in September. This performance ranked her second on the UK all-time list at that time, and still (as of 2018) ranks her 12th on the UK all-time list and remains the Northern Irish record.[4]

McLaughlin won her third consecutive UK Championships title in 1989 and went on to finish fifth in the 1990 Commonwealth Games final in January 1990.

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing  Great Britain and  Northern Ireland
1986 Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, United Kingdom 7th 58.28
1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 12th (sf) 55.91
1990 Commonwealth Games Auckland, New Zealand 5th 57.54
(sf) Indicates overall position in semifinals

National titles

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Elaine McLaughlin Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  2. ^ "UK Championships". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. ^ "AAA Championships (Women)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Records and Statistics". Athletics Northern Ireland. Retrieved 11 April 2018.