Sicklerville Olympic Hopefuls at Trials This Week

Two Sicklerville residents' Olympic dreams have landed them in Nebraska and Oregon this week.

Priscilla Frederick, who attended Paul VI High School, is competing in the USA Track and Field Trials, attempting to earn a trip to the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the high jump.

Frederick, a St. John's University (NY) alum and graduate student, made four All-American teams during her Red Storm career. She was last named second-team All-American in the high jump on June 12 following her 11th place finish at the NCAA outdoor championships.

Women's high jump preliminaries begin in Eugene, OR, on Thursday. The track and field trials began on Monday.

Brendan McHugh, a St. Augustine Prep and University of Pennsylvania product, joins Frederick out of Sicklerville in what he hopes will become an Olympic trials this week to earns him a trip to the London Games.

McHugh headed to Omaha, NE, to compete in the USA Swimming Trials in both the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke. The recent University of Pennsylvania graduate finished 14th in both events at this year's NCAA championships.

McHugh, a Gloucester Township native, realizes the odds are against him earning a trip to London.

"There is that one-percent chance that you can make it, but you have to be a realist at the same time,” he told NJ.com.

The USA Swimming Trials began Monday. Preliminary heats and semifinals in the 100 breaststroke were held Monday, with the final scheduled for Tuesday.

McHugh was tied for ninth place heading into Monday night's semifinals—not too bad considering the field included more than 140 qualifiers.

The 200 breaststroke kicks off on Thursday.

The Sicklerville area will definitely be represented in the London Olmypics, as Winslow Township High School and University of Nebraska product Jordan Burroughs finished as the top wrestler at 74 kilograms (163 pounds) at the sport's men's freestyle trials in Iowa City, IA, in April.

Burroughs was a 2011 world champion.