Rakieem "Mookie" Mustafa Allah Salaam (born April 5, 1990) is an American sprinter. Grew up in San Bernardino, California, Mookie started running track in the sixth grade, but was forced to quit by his stepfather. Salaam became a three-sport athlete at Edmond North High School in Edmond, Oklahoma. He played wide receiver on the football varsity, but decided to focus on track after suffering a dislocated hip in his junior year.

Mookie Salaam
Personal information
Nationality United States
Born (1990-04-05) April 5, 1990 (age 34)
San Bernardino, California
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight175 lb (79 kg)
Sport
SportRunning
EventSprints
College teamOklahoma Sooners
ClubAdidas
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m: 9.97 (2011 Des Moines)
200 m: 20.05 (Norman 2011)
60 m: 6.54 (Fayetteville 2011)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2013 Moscow 4×100 m relay

He turned down football scholarships to run track at the University of Oklahoma. It was not until Salaam's junior year at the university that he made a name for himself nationality. On June 10, 2011, Salaam became the 79th person to break the 10-second barrier when he ran the 100m in 9.97s at the NCAA Track and Field Championships, placing second.[1][2] He also won the NCAA Indoor 200m that year, with a time of 20.41.[1] Several of his times are school records. He decided to forgo his senior year and sign a professional contract with Adidas,[3] to better prepare for the 2012 United States Olympic Trials. In 2013, Salaam was part of the USA 4 × 100 m team that placed second at the World Championships in Moscow Russia.[1]

In 2023, Salaam became the head coach of the Niagara Purple Eagles track and field team.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mookie Salaam Bio". USA Track & Field. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  2. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20111109163221/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/c-track/recaps/061011aaa.html. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2011. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ Mookie Salaam Joins Professional Ranks Archived 2012-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Rakieem Salam - Coach - Women's Track and Field Coaches". Niagara Purple Eagles. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
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