US Olympic Track Icon Confirms World Ultimate Championships as Retirement Race

Back in 2025, Dalilah Muhammad was ready to leave track and field behind. She had a strong season, winning the U.S. 400m hurdles title in 52.65 seconds and earning a place at the World Championships in Tokyo. But her farewell did not go as planned, as she finished seventh in the final. Instead of closing the door completely, Muhammad returned for another season in 2026, and she’s glad she did. She has the perfect stage to bow out at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, which she has confirmed will be her last.

Speaking to Lewis Johnson on September 12, Muhammad was asked what it meant to still be competing at such a high level at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship after previously considering retirement.

“It feels really amazing,” Muhammad said.

She explained that the chance to compete at the first Ultimate Championship was one of the main reasons she decided to return this season, especially as she wanted to be part of the growth of the sport.

“I love to see our sport growing and doing so much more, and I think a big part of me really wanted to be a part of that,” she said.

But Muhammad then made her future clear: “But Lewis, I’m telling you here first, this will be my last competition,” she said. “I know I’ve said it before, but it’s it. This is it. This is really it.”

Even with retirement now confirmed, Muhammad is not treating the Ultimate Championship as a simple farewell appearance. She is still ready to give everything she has in her final competition.

Muhammad is entered in the women’s 400m hurdles, the event that has defined much of her career. She won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016 and became world champion in Doha in 2019. Now, she has one more race ahead of her before walking away. The field in Budapest is also strong.

Anna Cockrell is among the biggest names in the field. The American ran 52.13 seconds in Zurich on August 27, making her the world leader in the event this season. Muhammad finished second behind Cockrell in that race. Emma Zapletalová is another major contender. However, the new format of the Ultimate Championship has also appealed to Muhammad.

When Johnson asked her what she thought about the three-day format, she praised the shorter schedule and the way it keeps the competition moving. “It’s been really, really good so far,” Muhammad said. “I love that it’s just a short, condensed meet.” She believes the format can work well for both the athletes and the fans. Now, all that remains is one final race. And that also means she will not be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle.

And while the sport will move forward without her, Muhammad leaves behind a career that will be difficult to overlook.

Muhammad’s lasting mark on the 400m hurdles

Muhammad is a two-time Olympic medalist in the 400m hurdles, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics before taking silver at the Tokyo Games five years later. 

Muhammad made history before Tokyo, when, in 2019, she became a world champion in the 400m hurdles in Doha, winning the title in 52.16 seconds. It was also the second time that season she had broken the world record. Earlier that year, Muhammad had run 52.20 seconds at the U.S. Championships, becoming the first woman to break 53 seconds in the event. She then went even faster at the World Championships, lowering the record to 52.16 while winning the gold medal.

Her rivalry with McLaughlin-Levrone added another memorable chapter to her career. At the Tokyo Olympics, Muhammad ran 51.58 seconds to break her own world record, only for McLaughlin-Levrone to cross the line in 51.46 and take the gold. Muhammad settled for silver. Beyond the 400m hurdles, Muhammad also helped the United States win 4x400m relay gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Now, after more than a decade at the highest level, Muhammad is preparing for one final race. Her name may soon disappear from start lists, but the records, medals and historic races she leaves behind will remain part of the story of women’s 400m hurdles.

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