LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Two Olympians with Michigan ties, hurdler Anna Cockrell and distance runner Grant Fisher, have made headlines at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Competing in the Olympics on August 8, Anna Cockrell clinched the silver medal in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, clocking in a personal-best time of 51.87 seconds. This performance was a significant leap from her previous best of 52.64 seconds and was more than what many had anticipated, with most projections placing her at best for a bronze, according to MLive.
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The race was billed as a showdown between American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Dutch star Femke Bol. True to form, McLaughlin-Levrone shattered the world record for the sixth time with a time of 50.37 seconds, but it was Cockrell’s finish that captivated the audience.
She surged past Bol in the final stretch, leaving the Dutch runner with a bronze in 52.15 seconds. This achievement marks redemption for Cockrell, who was disqualified in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to a lane violation (MLive).
Notably, Cockrell’s track and field career began in Michigan, where she honed her skills with the Elite Performance track club and at Detroit Country Day Middle School in Beverly Hills. She dominated Oakland County championships in middle school and won a Junior Olympics title in the 100-meter hurdles as an eighth grader (MLive).
Grant Fisher, another Michigan native, has also made his mark in Paris. The Grand Blanc High School alum advanced to the finals of the men’s 5,000 meters after finishing fourth in his preliminary heat on August 7 with a time of 13:52.44 (WJRT ABC 12). Fisher’s qualification sets the stage for a medal opportunity in the Olympic 5,000-meter final, scheduled for August 10 at 1:50 p.m. Eastern time.
Prior to his success in the preliminary heat, Fisher claimed a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters race on August 2 (WJRT ABC 12). He is one of only four runners from that race who will compete in the 5,000-meter final on August 10.
The 27-year-old is competing in his second Olympics, having finished fifth in the 10,000 meters and ninth in the 5,000 meters at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He holds American records in both events and won both at this year’s U.S. Olympic Trials (WJRT ABC 12).
As Fisher prepares for the 5,000-meter final, he stands on the brink of making history. An additional medal would make him the first American to double-podium in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters at the same Olympic Games, according to The Park Record. His personal best of 12:46.96 in the 5,000 meters puts him within striking distance of the Olympic record of 12:57.82, set in 2008.
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