Who is Dalilah Muhammad? Net worth, records, and Olympic performances

The women's 400m hurdle at Tokyo Olympics 2020, could prove to be a thrilling affair. Defending Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad is certainly a favorite, but she has to be careful about world record holder Sydney McLaughlin and fellow American Shamier Little.

Who is Dalilah Muhammad?

Dalilah Muhammad is an American sprinter who specializes in the 400m hurdle. Such has been Dalilah Muhammad's dominance in the 400m hurdle that she is only the second female 400m hurdler in history, after Sally Gunnell, to have won the Olympic gold medal, the World titles, and broken the world record.

Dalilah Muhammad was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. As a child she would spend most of her energy running around in her house, jumping backwards and then jumping on her bed. She was sent to Benjamin N. Cardozo High School. She was so good in athletics that she became a Hall of Famer at her school.

As a 17-year-old, Dalilah Muhammad had her first international experience when she participated in the 2007 World Youth Athletic Championships. She struck gold in the 400m hurdles, telling the world about a future start in making. She also won a gold medal in the Medley Race.

A year later, Dalilah Muhammad got the opportunity to study at the University of Southern California. In 2009, Dalilah Muhammad won a silver medal in the 2009 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. In her second year, she participated in the Pacific-10 conference championships but missed out on the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) final. In 2011, she was able to make it to the NCAA semifinals. where she finished sixth in the 400m hurdles.

Her consistency on the tracks paved the way for the US Olympic Trials 2012.

Also read: 5 athletics world records broken ahead of Tokyo Olympics 2020

Dalilah Muhammad's Olympic performances

Dalilah Muhammad was yet to reach her prime when the the Trials for the London Games came along and she narrowly missed an Olympic berth. Her failure even made her contemplate quitting athletics.

"I'm going to be done after I graduate after these Olympic trials in 2012.” Dalilah Muhammad told the Olympic channel.

The change came after Dalilah Muhammad started training under Yolanda Demus, a coach, a world champion and an Olympic silver medalist. Yolanda Demus started pushing Dalilah Muhammad and the results started showing.

In 2013, Dalilah Muhammad won her first national title as she finished the 400m hurdles in 53.83s at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Dalilah Muhammad participated in the 2014 edition of the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship but did not enjoy much success. She bounced back and went on to claim a gold medal in the 2016 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

At the US Olympic Trials 2016, Dalilah Muhammad finished the 400m hurdles in 52.88s and qualified for Rio Olympics 2016.

At the Rio Games, Dalilah Muhammad qualified for the finals with a time of 53.89s. The final of the 400m hurdles turned out to be a lopsided affair as Dalilah Muhammad crossed the finish line in 53.13s to claim her first Olympic gold medal.

Dalilah Muhammad's records

In 2017, she successfully defended her title at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship with a personal best of 52.64s. Two years later at the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Dalilah Muhammad scripped history as she completed 400m hurdles in 52.20s to shatter Yuliya Pechonkina's 16-year-old world record. Yuliya Pechonkina held the record for finishing the race in 52.34s.

At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Dalilah Muhammad ran fiercely competitive against her arch-rival Sydney McLaughlin. Dalilah Muhammad crossed the finish line in 52.16s to shatter her own world record and also claim the world title. Sydney McLaughlin was a close second, clocking 52.23s. After the race in Doha, Dalilah Muhammad became the second woman to have an Olympic gold, the world record and the world championship title to her name.

At the end of the 2019 season, Dalilah Muhammad won the prestigious Jackie Joyner-Kersee Award. The award is bestowed by the USA Track and Field Federation for the best female athlete.