Sabir Kasib Muhammad II

235 Hilltop Drive, Atlanta GA 30315, USA
sabir_muhammad@hotmail.com (404) 597-7033
www.sabirswims.com  


BIO

Sabir Muhammad believes that every child must have the opportunity to learn to swim. For Muhammad swimming has been more than a sport, it has been a lifesaving skill and a passport to an extraordinary life. 

Certainly, Sabir Muhammad treads uncharted waters. Muhammad spent his early years in metropolitan Atlanta in an area notorious for drug-abuse and crime. At the age of 7 he learned to swim at an inner city learn to swim program and he has since made history. Today, Muhammad is the most decorated African-American in the sport of swimming and advocates the importance of swimming in the lives of children.

In 1994, Muhammad accepted a full scholarship from Stanford University and became the first African-American to compete for the varsity men’s team. His sophomore year Muhammad qualified for the 1995 Pan-Pacific Games held in Atlanta, becoming the first African-American to do so. In 1996, Muhammad competed in the Olympic Swimming Trials, qualifying for the consolation finals. In 1998, Muhammad led Stanford to its 17th straight Pac-10 championship and 8th NCAA Team Championship, clocking the fastest relay split ever in the 50 fly. Muhammad finished his collegiate career with 7 Pac-10 championship titles, 25 All-American honors and 3 NCAA, US Open and American Records. Muhammad graduated from Stanford as an Academic All-American with a degree in International Relations. 

Shortly after his graduation Muhammad joined USA Swimming’s National Resident Team at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. While at the resident team Muhammad became the first recipient of the William E. Simon Olympic Endowment award and was once voted the USOC’s “Athlete of the Month”. Muhammad qualified for the 1999 Pan-American Games, held in Winnipeg, Canada, becoming the first African-American to co-captain a USA international swimming team.

In the summer of 1999, Muhammad joined Team Baywatch Hawaii and guest starred in an episode of the television show entitled “The Last Rescue”. In 2000, he competed in the Short Course World Championships held in Athens, Greece winning both silver and bronze medals. At those world championships, Muhammad became the first African-American to win a medal at a major international swimming competition. 

Later in 2000, Muhammad competed as a championship finalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials in the 100 meter freestyle and as a semi-finalist in the 50 meter freestyle. In 2001, Muhammad took some time out of the pool. Muhammad’s wife, the former Yamuna McAlpine, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son Issa. Shortly thereafter, Muhammad started work as a marketing associate for one of the world’s leading money managers. 

During that time he was featured in the 2001 Sports Illustrated Men’s Swim Suit Edition alongside notables such as Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins. That summer Muhammad competed at the US Summer Nationals and qualified for the championship finals. Later that year through a joint effort with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Atlanta, Muhammad launched Swim for Life! an initiative aimed at teaching metropolitan Atlanta’s youth to swim.

In 2002, Muhammad joined Atlanta’s Commerce Club and competed in the finals of the 2002 USA Swimming National Championships held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. At the end of 2002 he returned to full training. In 2003, Yamuna and Sabir celebrated the arrival of the couple’s second son, Kamal. That spring Muhammad focused all of his energies on qualifying for the 2004 Olympic Team and relocated to Auburn University where he began training with the 2003 NCAA championship squad. In the summer of 2003, Muhammad qualified to compete at the 2004 Olympic Trials posting his best times to date since his 2000 season. At the 2003 Summer Nationals held in College Park, Md., he swam in the championship finals of 50 meter and 100 meter freestyles marking his 6th straight year of competition at the US National Championships.

Also in 2003 Muhammad’s Swim for Life! program was featured in Delta’s Sky Magazine. That year Muhammad participated in the Fitness Authority, a national competition aimed at encouraging proper fitness and nutrition among America’s youth, which is sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and The Sports Authority. Most recently, Muhammad has been accepted into the Race Club, an elite team of international swimmers. The Race Club team trains in the Florida Keys and focuses on a unique system of sprint training. 

Sabir Muhammad is an exciting athlete that delivers the sport of swimming to a nascent and diverse audience. He has broken a total 10 American Records in his career. He is a two time Short Course World Championship medalist, a four-time US Open champion, a five-time World Cup Swimming champion and a two-time runner-up at US Nationals. He has been featured by media such as the Today Show, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, Essence Magazine, Splash Magazine, Swimming World Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, and many other international and regional papers.