Rochdale native Dalilah Muhammad breaks world record in hurdles

Dalilah Muhammad broke the 400-meter hurdles world record. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall.

By Rachel Vick

Rochdale native and Olympic Gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad received a victor’s welcome when she returned to her hometown Thursday, less than a week after she broke the 400-meter hurdles world record.

Muhammad, who won gold in the 2016 Olympics, broke the record at the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Iowa with a time of 52.20 seconds. Despite the rain, she managed to outpace  Yuliya Pechonkina’s 16-year-record of 52.34 seconds. 

Muhammad began her career at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Bayside, where she claimed her first International gold in hurdles at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Athletics. She  several titles in 2008 as well. 

She was also the University of Southern California’s third-fastest ever 400m hurdler and a four-time NCAA All-America. 

Muhammad is the second woman in the event’s history to have broken the 400m record and win an Olympic title.