Before She Was An Olympian: Anna Cockrell At Penn Relays

* In 2016, Anna Cockrell broke the Penn Relays meet record in the 400mH with a 57.38

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Back in 2019, Anna Cockrell became the NCAA champion for USC in the 400mH. Two years later, she became an Olympian in that event.

Before those big moments, her high school career consisted of three appearances at the Penn Relays Carnival. She competed at this historic meet since she was a sophomore with the red Providence Day School (NC) uniform on.

As a senior in 2016, she improved on her third-place finish from a year ago and she had one objective in mind that day.

"I just wanted to run my race, really execute and run the way I know I can run," Cockrell told MileSplit.  

Against a loaded field, Cockrell won her first Penn Relay title with a meet record of 57.38. 

* Anna Cockrell reflects on her performance at the 2016 Penn Relays in the 400mH

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GIRLS 400 METER HURDLES FINALS	
PLACE	ATHLETE		TEAM	RESULT	WIND	H#
1	Anna Cockrell	12	Providence Day School	57.38		1
2	Brandee' Johnson	12	Nansemond River	1:00.26		1
3	Brooklynn Broadwater	12	Springside Chestnut Hill Academy	1:00.60		1
4	Amira Aduma	11	Phoebus	1:01.30		1
5	Breanne Bygrave	12	Wakefield	1:02.05		1
6	Alyssa Sandy	12	Paul Robeson Campus High	1:02.16		1
7	Taliah Cintron	11	Padua Academy	1:02.19		1
8	Lynne Mooradian	12	South Western	1:03.19		1

* Anna Cockrell at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo

Photo Credit: James Lang / USA Today