U.S. Olympic track and field trials: Athing Mu won’t defend her 800 meters gold after stunning fall

Athing Mu’s bid to repeat as Olympic champion in the womens’ 800 meters ended Monday night in the most gutting possible way.

A stunning fall midway through the first lap of the two-lap race left Mu too far back to regain contact with the rest of the runners.

Mu was running in the third lane from the rail when she veered inside in front of fellow Olympian Raevyn Rogers. The two runners appeared to get their feet tangled, Rogers stumbling without losing her footing and Mu sprawling to the ground.

Three years after her radiant smile and unparalleled speed made her one of the faces of the Tokyo Olympics, Mu crossed the Hayward Field finish line in tears on Monday night. Her time of 2:19.69 was 20-plus seconds slower than winner Nia Akins or fellow Paris qualifiers Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker.

Had Mu not fallen, it’s difficult to imagine the 22-year-old not winning the race, let alone failing to make the top three. This is a woman who has been one of the brightest stars in U.S. track and field since before she was legally old enough to order a glass of wine at a restaurant.

Mu broke NCAA records at Texas A&M, captured Olympic gold in the 800 and the 4×400-meter relay in 2021 and validated that with a win on U.S. soil at World Championships the following year. She had scarcely lost a race her whole career until settling for bronze at last year’s World Championships.