Muhammad’s world record in women’s 400-meter hurdles witnessed by Mann, 1972 Olympic silver medalist for U.S., who achieved men’s 440-yard intermediate hurdles global standard for BYU at 1970 NCAA Championships in Des Moines

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Dalilah Muhammad was the only athlete to set a world record at the recent Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

But the Nike professional and reigning Olympic women’s 400-meter hurdles gold medalist wasn’t the only individual on a rainy Sunday at Drake Stadium to have experienced the euphoria of producing a global track standard.

Dr. Ralph Mann, the 1972 Olympic silver medalist for the U.S. in the men’s 400 hurdles, watched from the infield as Muhammad ran 52.20 seconds to eclipse the 2003 world record of 52.34 held by Russia’s Yuliya Pechonkina.

DALILAH MUHAMMAD INTERVIEW

Muhammad’s performance marked the 39th world record or all-time world best – for events not recognized as record eligible by the IAAF – broken since 1910 at Drake Stadium. Another two world records have also been equaled in the venue’s illustrious history.

“I wanted it so bad,” Muhammad said. “I knew I had to go out there and just prove myself once again, so I’m glad it was there.”

Mann, a three-time NCAA champion during his career at Brigham Young, also contributed to that impressive total in 1970, winning his second straight Division 1 title in the 440-yard intermediate hurdles by clocking a world record 48.8 seconds, lowering the mark of 49.3 set a decade earlier by South Africa’s Gert Potgieter.

Following Muhammad’s accomplishment, marking the first time that an American set the women’s 400 hurdles global standard since Kim Batten ran 52.61 at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Sweden, legendary public address announcer Mike Jay asked the crowd if anyone had seen a world record produced in Des Moines.

Mann was spotted waving his hands on the infield and was approached by Drake Relays director Blake Boldon to ask about his recollections of the memorable race nearly a half-century ago.

“Ralph told me the conditions were exactly the same as when he set the record at Drake nearly 50 years ago – perfect,” Boldon said.

Mann, who earned his Ph.D. in biomechanics at Washington State, has become one of the leading authorities in sport biomechanics and is a regular consultant for USATF. He has collaborated in the past in California with Muhammad and her Hurdle Mechanic professional training group, coached by Lawrence Johnson.

Mann and Muhammad shared a brief conversation on the infield after Sunday’s race, celebrating the first time the women’s 400 hurdles world record had been achieved on American soil.

“We spoke for a moment,” Muhammad said. “To be honest, it’s a little bit of a blur. But we have worked together in the past. We know each other well.”

Muhammad also became the first female athlete to set an individual world all-time best in Des Moines since 1977, when Iowa State Track Club’s Peg (Neppel) Darrah achieved the global 5,000 mark by clocking 15:52.27, as well as the fastest 3-mile time en route of 15:22.40. The IAAF didn’t recognize the women’s 5,000 as a world record-eligible event until 1981.

Since then, five all-time world bests in relays have been established at Drake Relays, including the men’s 4x110 shuttle hurdles and women’s 4x100 shuttle hurdles both in 2015.

Muhammad has captured two of her four U.S. national titles at Drake Stadium, including 2013. Although she is winless in six career 400 hurdles competitions on Jim Duncan Track at the NCAA Championships and Drake Relays, she remained unbeaten in five career USATF Championship races – including prelims and finals – on the blue oval with Sunday’s victory.

And much like Mann’s exceptional effort in 1970, Muhammad knew it was the ideal combination of preparation, competition and execution that allowed her to contribute to the rich history of world records at Drake Stadium.

“It’s not just about the time. It’s about having that perfect race, with the perfect field and the perfect conditions,” Muhammad said. “That’s kind of how you get a record.”