USC Trojans Alum Lands Silver Medal in Hurdles at Paris Olympics

Jeremy Hanna | Aug 9, 2024

Aug 6, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; Anna Cockrell (USA) competes in a women's 400m hurdles semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports / Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports

Team USA continues to win medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This time, it's on the track with renowned hurdler and former USC Trojan Anna Cockrell.

Cockrell represented the United States in the 400m hurdle, earning the silver medal for a personal best time of 51.87 seconds. She finished shortly behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, also from the United States, who set a world record at 50.37 seconds.

USC alum @AnnaCockrell48 wins SILVER in the #Paris2024 400m hurdles with a PR of 51.87! 🥈🇺🇸#USC2Paris | #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/702O4PP5zf

— USC Track & Field / XC (@USC_Track_Field) August 8, 2024

Cockrell previously qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She made it to the final race but was disqualified after officials discovered that she had made a lane violation.

"This time around I was almost more nervous at the Olympic Trials than I was in 2021," Cockrell told WCNC Charlotte. "I felt in 2021 I was able to sneak my way onto the team, where this time people know my name and what I'm able to run. It was almost more of a relief to make the team this time."

Cockrell is an advocate for the mental health of student-athletes, which she addressed in her commencement speech at USC.

“The two things I don't like to talk about are the fact that I've battled depression on and off since my 10th-grade year and that I'm a perfectionist," Cockrell said. "This perfectionism means that I don't like to ask for help I don't like to seem weak, I don't like to let people know that I struggle.”

Cockrell's track and field career began in high school, first earning gold at the 2015 Pan American U20 Championships. She would then participate in the World U20 Championships, where she would again in the 400m hurdles as well as the 4x400m relay.

Afterward, Cockrell would attend USC. In 2019, she became the NCAA champion for the 400m hurdle with a time of 55.23. Later that year, she won the silver medal in hurdles and gold in relay at the Pan American Games in Lima.

After all events were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Cockrell truly made a name for herself in 2021.

After being named 2021 Pac-12 Women's Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, Cockrell led the Trojans to their third consecutive conference team title at the Pac-12 championships. She then became the 2021 NCAA champion for the women's 100m hurdle and 400m hurdle, helping USC win the team title at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships and becoming the second woman in history to win both events at the NCAA championships.

Cockrell's achievements earned her the 2021 Honda Sports Award for track and field and the Pac-12's Tom Hansen Conference Medal for 2021.

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