“Is this the fairy tale finish for her, in the rain of Rio on an atmospheric night?” This was not only the question of the commentator but of every track fan glued to the TV to watch their season favorite hurdler, Dalilah Muhammad. What happened next is pretty much known to the whole world. Starting in lane 3. BANG! and then jotted the American slowly picking up the speed, first overtaking Sara Petersen in the 10th second around the first curve. With every hurdle, she did not just jump over it but over her opponents as well. And then?

36 seconds into the race, at the third curve, Dalilah Muhammad was leading the race. A lead that she didn’t give until she passed the race line in 53.13 seconds. She finished with the green strap going on her neck and gold against her heart. This was Muhammad’s first Olympic Gold and also the first for an American woman to have that privilege for 400mH. But now something has changed! It seems she has made it known when we would probably last see her on the track! What?

Russell Clayton, Dalilah, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were present at the GST press conference. The host gave us all a recap of Dalilah’s career, how many records she has broken, the medals, and the championships. He asked her if she was proud of what she had accomplished. The Olympian answered. “Yeah, absolutely. I think I always had that little something that I want to keep going and push those boundaries and push forward. I remember being that as little as 8 years old, and I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew I just had to be there. So yeah, when I look back at my career now and still be competing it’s quite the journey, and I am very proud of it.” And why wouldn’t she be? She broke the world record for the fastest in 400mH for the first time in 16 years and then broke it twice again. Won multiple medals and was a sensation even before she made her debut in 2013. 

The host reminded the 2016 Olympian of her 2007 World Youth Championship performance, where she clinched gold in the 400mH with a time of 57.25 seconds. Nearly 20 years later, she still has the power in her legs. In January only, she was running a 1000m short track in the Randal Tyson Indoor Center, clocking a 2:51.54. In her career, she won 2 Olympic gold and a silver. Following that, the host asked how many more seasons we could see her. Dalilah replied, “I’m thinking to the next one, to the next Olympics. I’m just kidding. It’s gonna be it for me this year. I definitely gonna think this will be it.” She said in the press conference.

Jun 25, 2021; Eugene, OR, USA; Dalilah Muhammad wins women’s 400m hurdles heat in 55.41 during the US Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

She also said how she hasn’t made an announcement or made it official yet, citing, “

I haven’t made an announcement or public, you know. But yeah, I think I am won and done.” To confirm, the host did ask her once again if this could be the last season for her as a track and field athlete, to which she replied “yes.” Be ready, folks, when the last slam of 2025 takes place, as Dalilah might be jumping her last hurdle. The athlete who broke a 16-year-old world record might hang her shoes.

In 2019, Dalilah ran 400mH in 52.20 seconds at the US Championships, 14 seconds faster than Russia’s Yuliya Penchonkina.

Sydney praised her for this. She said, “Dalilah, you truly did change the game for all of us. I think just seeing you break the world record after so long of it being there, it just inspired all of us. And  so it’s truly because of the amazing talent you have that we are where we are now.” Dalilah must have thanked her for now, but we sure are gonna witness this rivalry again in the Grand Slam Track inaugural meet in Jamaica: the track rivalry to remember for ages!

The legendary track rivalry of Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

In the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships, when Dalilah broke Yuliy’s record, Sydney was also present in the race. She finished second to the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, and this laid the foundation for one of the best rivalries the hurdles have witnessed. In the IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2019, she broke the record again. This time, she clocked 52.16. Guess who was the runner-up? Sydney McLaughlin with 52.23.

Now, take a guess who broke the record of the 2016 gold medalist. Sydney McLaughlin. In the 2021 Olympic Trials, McLaughlin ran like a horse, galloping over hurdles and clocking a 51.90. Dalilah came second with 52.42 seconds. The next stop was the Olympics itself. In Tokyo, Syndey once again outraced the American legend and made yet another world record. This time, she ran past the finish line in 51.46 seconds while it took Dalilah 51.58. 

Their rematch happened at the 2024 Olympic trials, where Dalilah Muhammad finished sixth in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final with a time of 54.27 seconds. Sydney, on the other hand, went on to win the Trails with a time of 50.65 seconds, yet another world record after the 2002 one where she clocked 50.68 seconds in the World Athletics Championships, Oregon. Dalilah secured bronze there with a time of  53.13. Their rematch is all set to happen in the Grand Slam Track. Who do you think will win?