Sabir Muhammad’s swimming journey began after his mother started working as a member of the cleaning staff at a local Atlanta swimming pool. Despite facing skepticism that swimming was not for Black people, he defied expectations and emerged as one of the most talented swimmers ever in his events. Muhammad broke a total of 10 American Records in his career and earned a total of 22 international medals representing the USA at FINA events. For Muhammad, swimming has been more than a sport; it has been a lifesaving skill and a passport to an extraordinary life.

At the age of 16, Muhammad had a chance meeting with his swimming hero, Pablo Morales, who was in Atlanta signing autographs following his 1992 Olympic win. Shortly after that meeting, Morales convinced Stanford University head coach Skip Kenney to recruit Muhammad. In 1994, Muhammad accepted a full scholarship from Stanford University and became the first African-American to compete for the varsity men’s team. In his freshman year, Muhammad qualified for the 1995 Pan-Pacific Games held in Atlanta, becoming the first African-American to do so. 

In 1998, Muhammad qualifies for the Pan Am Games and led Stanford to its 17th straight Pac-10 championship and 8th NCAA Team Championship, breaking Morales’s American record in the 100-yard butterfly. Muhammad finished his collegiate career with multiple Pac-10 championship titles, All-American honors, and NCAA, US Open, and American Records. Muhammad graduated from Stanford as an Academic All-American with a degree in International Relations.

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.

Muhammad remembers being told as a child that Blacks could not swim, and he has felt the fear of swimming and isolation that occurs in economically vulnerable communities and communities of color. Muhammad’s goal is to increase access to the sport of swimming for everyone regardless of income or race.

Between 2009 and 2019, Muhammad founded and led the Atlanta Swim School, teaching hundreds of children in the City of Atlanta to swim. Muhammad is the author of the children’s book Born to Swim and is a Georgia Aquatics Hall of Fame inductee.

In addition to his work in swimming, Muhammad holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and is a Senior Director at Magnite – a global leader in the advertising technology industry.

Muhammad resides in Atlanta with his wife, Jenny, and four children, two of whom are NCAA Div I athletes in basketball and swimming.