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Hudson senior diver Taryn McLaughlin scored 501.70 points en route to her sectional championship Wednesday at the University of Akron. She advances to the district meet at Cleveland State.

Hudson senior diver Taryn McLaughlin is the SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Dec. 4-10.

McLaughlin recently broke a 19-year school diving record on the 1-meter board with a 290.80 for six dives.

“She has picked this sport up amazingly fast, she is a tireless worker,” dive coach Dan Miller said.

Hudson swim coach Matt Davis agreed.

“Her growth has been fun to watch, she has become really good in a short time,” Davis said.

McLaughlin has only been diving for three years, but has been involved with athletics for most of her life having been a gymnast for 12 years.

“The moves are very close so the adjustment was not that difficult,” McLaughlin said. “The thing that surprised me the most about diving was how hard the water can be.”

McLaughlin, whose sister Megan is also a swimmer, was a dancer as a youth in Michigan prior to moving to the Akron area four years ago.

“The word I think of with her is ‘consistent,’” Davis said. Like when she set the school record, those six dives were sensational and the consistency is what got her the record, she hit all six.”

Last season Taryn place fourth in diving at the OHSAA state meet. She just missed a trip to the state meet as a sophomore, but has big plans for this year.

“I have set my sights on state and it would be unbelievable to take top honors,” McLaughlin said. “I had no idea I broke the record. To be honest I didn’t even know there was a record.”

McLaughlin works on her diving in the off season by diving with the American Flyers out of Solon.

Taryn McLaughlin

Class: Senior

School: Hudson

Sport: Diving

GPA:  3.0

Favorites

TV:  That 70’s Show

Movie:  Christmas Vacation

Pizza:  Do not like

Ipod:  Lady Gaga

Class:  Math

Bucket List:  Go to McDonald’s drive-thru and ask for sugar packets!