Aaliyah Butler

Aaliyah Butler represents an American sprinter who competes in the 400 meters while demonstrating remarkable speed along with confident international performances. Born on November 5, 2003 in Fort Lauderdale Florida she graduated from Piper High School before moving to Miami Northwestern Senior High School where she became a dominant force in track and field. Butler established herself as a three-time Florida state champion in the 400 meters while setting a new state record which previously belonged to Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross. Her outstanding abilities led to multiple All-American honors as well as a national championship win at a Nike competition when she was a junior.

After joining the University of Georgia in 2022 Butler quickly emerged as one of the leading sprinters in the United States at the collegiate level. She secured a spot on Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics after finishing second in the 400 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon by achieving a personal best time of 49.71 seconds. During the Paris 2024 Olympics she advanced to the semifinals in the 400 meters while helping the U.S. women's 4x400-meter relay team secure a gold medal victory.

Butler maintained her excellent collegiate performance after winning at the Olympics. At the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in March 2025 Butler set a personal record of 49.78 seconds to achieve a sixth position on the world indoor 400-meter all-time rankings. She secured the second position at the NCAA Indoor Championships when she finished with a time of 49.97 seconds during the competition. She achieved a new personal best time of 49.44 seconds when she competed at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida during April 2025. At the SEC Championships she secured the 400 meters title while completing a 48.86-second 4x400-meter relay split which ranks as the third-fastest relay split in collegiate history. She finished her competitive season by claiming the 400 meters title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in Eugene, Oregon with a time of 49.26 seconds.

Butler joined Nike as a Name Image and Likeness (NIL) athlete in January 2025 becoming one of the few sprinters who received endorsement deals from the company. The University of Georgia student-athlete pursues International Affairs while training under Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert.