Dunellen Mayor Jason Cileno recalls 2021 joke on renaming town after Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, following Paris Olympics heroics

Dunellen Mayor Jason Cileno recently recalled a joke he made in 2021, suggesting naming the town after Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, following the 2021 Tokyo Games. McLaughlin-Levrone was being celebrated in her hometown in New Jersey at the Columbia Park football field for her achievements at the Paris Games.

Some time after her Olympic victory, she was commended at the Columbia Park football field, which had a track named for her in 2021. During the ceremony this past week, Mayor Cileno recalled commenting on McLaughlin-Levrone's successes in 2021. He said,

“At that ceremony, I joked we had no idea what we were going to do next other than possibly renaming the entire town after her. Well, here we are in 2024 and sure enough she went well and above and beyond winning two more gold medals and setting her sixth world record. So, surprise – we have officially renamed Dunellen.”

The Mayor then paused, before continuing to reported loud laughs from the crowd,

“I’m just joking, I’m just joking. That’s not breaking news. Renaming a town is actually pretty difficult and I think we can all agree that we like the name Dunellen.”

McLaughlin-Levrone etched her name into the history books for becoming the first female athlete to break the women's 400m hurdles world record for the sixth time, at the 2024 Paris Games. Clocking a notable time of 50.37 seconds, she bested Anna Cockrell and Femke Bol, who posted 51.87 and 52.15 seconds, respectively.

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"It’s just honestly a joy" - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone expresses delight at receiving support from hometown

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at the Wanda Diamond League 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo via Getty Images)

Born in New Brunswick and raised in Dunellen, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone embraced her passion and love for the sport in New Jersey. She graduated from Union Catholic High School in the same state in 2017, having established herself as a promising athlete.

As the hometown welcomed her this past Monday with a warm celebration, she expressed her gratitude to the fans present at the stadium. She also said Dunellen being mentioned on TV was a source of joy for her. She said,

“It honestly brings me so much joy every time on that TV where I see hometown and it says Dunellen, New Jersey, I truly enjoy that moment. I do, and I love telling people that we are a one-square-mile town, but we pack a punch. It’s just honestly a joy. I can’t even put into words just what it means to have so much support."

At the 2024 Paris Games, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed gold in the women's 4x400m relay race along with her 400m hurdles victory.