Sometimes a silver medal is just a ray of hope, a small consolation for an Olympian who falls short or fails to achieve his goal of winning a gold medal.
At other times, however, the silver medal may be evidence of an inner precious metal, a fitting reward for a determined athlete who is not expected to climb the podium because of the constant obstacles he faces on his journey.
we would say there are obstacles, but Anna Cockerel Just cleaned them up properly.
The former USC standout student (1st) and hurdler (2nd) finished a surprising second in the women’s 400-meter hurdles on Thursday. 2024 Summer Olympics in Saint-Denis, France, trailing only American teammate and favorite Sydney McLaughlin-Levron, who set the world record On the way to gold.
Shortly after the race, Cockerell, whose USC commencement speech In 2019 went viral For all her searing honesty about the challenges associated with depression, words couldn’t describe the emotional surge she was experiencing.
Gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (right) and silver medalist Anna Cockerell (left), both of the United States, and bronze medalist Femke Bol of the Netherlands react at the finish of the women’s 400m hurdles event.
(Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press)
“You all know I talk a lot,” she said, “(but) I can’t talk at all right now. I’m a little bit in shock, I don’t know if it’s happiness or fatigue. It took a lot of hard work to get here and I’m so excited to have it all together.”
Cockrell graduated in three years with a 3.98 grade-point average and described his battle with depression during his inaugural address to the Players’ Tribune in 2021 “letter to your younger self” article ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
“I’ve struggled with depression since 10th grade,” Cockrell said during the convocation address. “I’m a perfectionist … and this year, the quest for perfection, the quest to maintain this box that I’ve created for myself, the quest to maintain this image of a perfect scholar, a perfect student-athlete, a perfect leader, it started to crush me.”
However, a few days after his USC graduation, Cockrell dropped the baton in the 4×400 NCAA finals, costing USC a chance to win a third consecutive championship, leading to further depression and personal malaise.
The following year the NCAA Championships were canceled due to COVID, but In 2021 he led USC to a team title Winning the 100 and 400-meter hurdles, he thanked family, teammates and coaches, but also mental health professionals.
“I’m really lucky, really blessed to have access to care,” Cockrell said. “I’m really grateful to all the psychologists and therapists that have worked with me over the years because there was a time when I would say I fell into despair and hopelessness and I didn’t think it was possible. But from 2019 until now, I’ve done a lot of work in a therapist’s office.”
His first-person article in the Players’ Tribune highlighted his struggles, as well as the feelings he hoped he had now left behind. An excerpt:
This year, 2018-19, has been the hardest year of your life. You’ve suffered a lot and worked so hard for this moment. Just a few months ago you wanted to quit track, quit school, quit everything. It was really bad. To be honest, it got to the point where you didn’t even want to be alive anymore.
And just when you thought life was getting better, you let go of the stick.
I know that’s what you’re thinking, so that’s what I’ll say.
What was all this for?
…. Now, I am preparing to compete in my first Olympic Games in Tokyo. No matter what happens here, I am important, I am worthy, I matter and I do matter.
So what? More disasters. Cockerell disqualified from 400m hurdles final He was penalized for running in the wrong lane at the Tokyo Olympics.
Three years later, who could blame spectators for expecting another disaster from the now 26-year-old Cockerell, who was given up before Thursday’s race even began? But she won silver, beating Femke Bol of the Netherlands.
Former USC star Anna Cockrell reacts after winning a silver medal for the US in the 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics.
(Ashley Landis/Associated Press)
“I don’t know if I can put into words how I felt,” she said. “I was just in the flow, I felt great and I was just moving forward. Just thinking about getting over those obstacles, getting my knees up, staying as clean as I possibly could.
“You know how hard I’ve been working for this moment. I’m an emotional person, I’m not afraid to be emotional, I just went for it today. It was just trusting my instincts and my training.”
Cockrell then praised McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record holder and winner of two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 400 hurdles.
And McLaughlin-Levrone praised Cockerill, saying: “I’m so happy for Anna, it’s a huge thing for her and it’s a wonderful thing for the US to win the silver medal.”
