Anna Cockrell's vibrant tribute to Dalilah Muhammad

I was visiting P.J. Vazel's blog just two days after the end of the 2024 T&F US Trials and I stumbled upon this video by Anna Cockrell (initially published by M. Pullins). She had just qualified for the Paris Olympics in the women's 400 m hurdles race and there was an interview while the three medalists were still on the turf. The first time I saw the video the sound was off and I was captured by the intensity of Cockrell's body language. I turned the sound on and I found out that the words of Cockrell were a tribute to that great champion, D. Muhammad, who was probably participating in her last Trials.

Cockrell said that she was "emotional" but she wanted to take a moment not to talk about herself but about Muhammad, who had revolutionized the event. She said

"The impact you've had on this sport goes beyond medals, goes beyond records. Your grace, your poise, your competition, your mentorship of me — I can't say thank you to 'De' enough, I want to give her her flowers now".

And her words resonated deeply inside me. So, let us start from the beginning. Sydney McLaughlin burst upon the international scene when she qualified for the Rio Olympics at just 16 years of age (where she exited at the semis). I remembered her name from the previous year when, being just 15, she had won the World U18 championships.

Form that moment I started following her. She could not make the team in 2017, finishing 6th in the Trials, but two years later she came back as one of the favourites. The women's 400 m hurdles at the 2019, Doha, World's is one of the most breath-taking races ever. (I suggest that you track it down in YouTube and watch it). Muhammad prevailed in a new world record. But that was to be the last defeat of McLaughlin in a major competition. 

In 2021, in the Tokyo "2020" Olympics, the tables were turned. McLaughlin won with both herself and Muhammad dipping under the previous world record. It was at that point that I started really appreciating Muhammad. (Go and watch the replay of the 2021 race). Muhammad, knowing that McLaughlin is stronger at the finish, led the race at a very fast pace, hoping that McLaughlin will not have the reserves for a final surge. It turned out that McLaughlin was even stronger and she could win in the end, but I was impressed by the clever race (and the risk-taking) of Muhammad. 

Dalilah Muhammad had been the best woman low-hurdler for many years. It started in 2007 when she won the World U18 title. She was silver medalist at the 2013, Moscow, World championships. She did not make the US team in 2015, finishing 7th at the Trials, but was back in 2016, qualifying for the Olympics and winning the gold medal in Rio. In 2017 she had to contend herself with silver in the London world championships, when she could not follow the final sprint of K. Carter (whose subsequent career make the world title look as a fluke). 

Following the Tokyo Olympics it was clear that the number-one hurdler was now McLaughlin and Muhammad would have trouble keeping the second place given the blooming of F. Bol. (And there was even a domestic danger as we will readily see). Being world champion Muhammad had a pass at the 2022 Trials. They were won by S. McLaughlin in a new world record time and I noticed the arrival of a new talent, B.Wilson, who made the US team on her first participation in the Trials). The world 2022 title was won by McLaughlin in a fantastic 50.68 s world record, with Muhammad obtaining bronze.

There were again World Championships in 2023 (due to the disruption caused by the epidemic). McLaughlin and Britton opted for the flat 400 m, trusting the two first places in the Trials with 49.74 and 49.79 s. None was going to shine in Budapest due to injury: McLaughlin did not make the trip and Britton was eliminated at the heats. The title was won by Bol, Muhammad exiting at the semis. It was more or less clear that the 2024 Trials would be the last attempt of D. Muhammad at a qualification for a major event. The event was won by McLaughlin in 50.65 s (a new world record) with A. Cockrell second, 52.64 and J. Jones third, 52.77. S. Little (double world silver medalist) was fourth, missing once more an olympic qualification and Muhammad sixth. (Britton, injured again, missed the trials).

The interview at the beginning of this post was just after the race, with the three winners still tired from their effort and A. Cockrell, who is training together with Muhammad, seized the occasion to acknowledge the impact on  the discipline of the great lady, who is reaching the end of her career. In her longer, post-race interview she even burst into tears speaking about her training partner.

I haven't really be following A. Cockrell over the years. Although she had won the world U20 champion title in 2016 I was surprised to see her as member of the US team in Tokyo. (She made the final but was disqualified for lane violation). But she had been steadily improving: exiting at the semis in 2016, 8th in the final in 2017 and 6th in 2019, she secured a place in the team in 2021. She just missed in 2022, finishing 4th in the Trials but rebounded in 2023 finishing 3rd and going on to finish 5th in Budapest. After her second place this year and her excellent performance, it is clear that I am going to keep an eye on her during the Paris Olympics.

And going back to the beginning of the article, Ato Boldon, who is responsible for the Inside Athletics podcast at the World Athletics site, tweeted that the best interview of the US Trials goes to Anna Cockrell. I couldn't agree more.