SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. (CNS) — When U.S. runner Sydney McLaughlin crossed the finish line to win the gold in the 400-meter hurdles Aug. 3 in Tokyo, she had the cheers of fans supporting her from the New Jersey Catholic high school where she graduated four years ago.

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky won the Olympic gold medal July 28 for the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, a new event, on the heels of coming in fifth place in the 200-meter freestyle.

Hidilyn Diaz became the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal winner, set an Olympic record — and thanked her friends who prayed the Miraculous Medal novena. In a virtual news conference, the 30-year-old said she also prayed the novena and wore the medal.

“My mom, Samantha, passed away when I was 3,” Stancil said. “BMX was my dad’s way of showing his love to me. It’s something we have bonded over our entire life. I started when I was 4. He calls me all the time.”

Even before organizers barred locals from attending events in Tokyo, managing editor Paul McMullen was lamenting the absence of fans from other nations at the Summer Olympics.

Ledecky’s and Bacon’s paths have intertwined for several years while they attended Little Flower School, swam for the high school team at the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and have been parishioners at Church of the Little Flower, all in Bethesda, Maryland.

Whittaker, who won the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland cross country title at age 14 and soon thereafter catapulted herself into the national prep middle-distance scene, was 10th-fastest in the 800 semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.

After eight attempts, Forrester qualified for the U.S. Senior Open in Omaha, July 8-11. He is one of 24 amateurs who made the cut for the esteemed event, whose past champions include the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

The Tokyo Archdiocese says it will maintain infection control measures despite the Japanese government having lifted the COVID-19 state of emergency in many cities ahead of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Few laymen matched his contributions to the Mount, which gave Phelan a one-year contract to coach in 1954. It turned into 49 uninterrupted seasons on the same campus, the third longest in the history of the sport.