Muhammad’s world record earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dalilah Muhammad (New York, New York) smashed the world record in the women’s 400m hurdles to earn USATF Athlete of the Week.

Muhammad, the reigning Olympic champion and 2017 World Championships silver medalist, broke the previous record of 52.34, set on August 8, 2003, by Russia’s Yuliya Pechonkina. Running in lane four on Drake’s rain-soaked oval, Muhammad had defending champion Shamier Little and world-leading Sydney McLaughlin to her outside. Sprinting through the first half of the race, Muhammad made up most of the stagger and then rocketed through the curve to build a sizable lead. She covered the final stretch with near perfection and won by .68 over McLaughlin. It was the first women’s 400H world record ever set on U.S. soil, and the first world record at Drake Stadium since Ralph Mann’s 48.8 for the 440y hurdles on June 20, 1970.

Full results are here.

Other notable performances from the previous week:

DeAnna Price — Price set an American record in the women’s hammer for the second year in a row at Des Moines with a last-round 78.24/256-8 to add five inches to her previous AR.
Sam Kendricks — Kendricks set an American record in the men’s pole vault with his 6.06/19-10.5 clearance, making him the second-highest outdoor vaulter in history.
Lopez Lomong — Lomong won the 5K/10K double at Des Moines with withering kicks over the final 400m. His 27:30.06 in the 10,000 was the fastest by an American this year.
Diane Hoffman - USATF Masters athlete 91-year-old Hoffman broke the W90 world record in the 400m in 2:44:25 
Shawnti Jackson -- Jackson, daughter of 400m hurdles star Bershawn “Batman” Jackson, won the sprint triple in the girls’ 13-14 division at the USATF Hershey Junior Olympics in Sacramento, clocking 11.57/24.12/53.98.
Yasmin Lopez -- Lopez twice broke the girls’ 8 & Under 800m record at JOs

Now in its 18th year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on USATF.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
 
2019 Winners: January 9, Nick Christie; January 16, Hillary Bor; January 23, Taylor Ewert; January 30, Devin Dixon; February 6, Alison Wood; February 13, Ajee’ Wilson; February 20, Abbabiya Simbassa; February 27, Athing Mu; March 6, Neringa Jakstiene; March 13, Grant Holloway; March 20, Robyn Stevens; March 27, Deena Kastor; April 3, Irene Obera; April 10, Stanley Kebenei; April 17, Israel Merkle; April 24, Ryan Crouser; May 1, Emily Sisson; May 8, Kayla White; May 15, Parker Stinson; May 22, Kenny Bednarek; May 29, Sha’Carri Richardson; June 6, Brooke Andersen; June 12, Sha’Carri Richardson; June 19, Kayla Davis; June 26, Jordan Gray; July 3, Will Claye; July 10, Noah Lyles; July 17, Florence Meiler; July 24, Matthew Boling; July 31, Dalilah Muhammad.
 
We welcome your nominations!

To nominate an athlete for USATF Athlete of the Week, please send a detailed email about his/her performance to communications@usatf.org.
 
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