Athing Mu’s breakout season is continuing on to Tokyo.
Mu won the women’s 800 meters in record-breaking fashion Sunday, crossing the finish line at 1:56.07 to set a new meet record and win the event. The 19-year-old s time is also the second fastest by an American woman.
Raevyn Rogers finished second, running a personal best of 1:57.66, and Ajee Wilson’s 1:58.39 was good enough for third.
Mu had the top time in the field entering Sunday’s final. The middle-distance phenom is in the midst of a superb season. In her freshman year at Texas A&M, Mu broke numerous collegiate records, including in the women’s 400 and 800 meters. She was also named indoor and outdoor NCAA National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
USA TODAY
America is void of a middle-distance female track and field star. Madeline Mims is the only American woman to win Olympic gold in the 800 meters. Mims accomplished the feat at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Athing Mu could be next.
Crossing the finish line in first place with an eye-popping time while her competitors battle for second place is becoming customary when Mu hits the track.
Mu shattered the collegiate record books in her freshman season at Texas A&M. Her collegiate record performances in the 400 meters (49.57) and 800 meters (1:57.73) are the No. 1 ranked times in the U.S. this year. She would’ve won the women’s 400 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials if she equaled her personal best. But the indoor and outdoor NCAA National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year decided before the trials she wanted to focus exclusively on the 800 meters.