By McKenzie Days, University of Oregon SOJC Track Bureau
Olympic champion Athing Mu was able to maintain her dominance with another gold in the 800 meters, winning in a world-leading 1 minute, 56.30 seconds on Sunday at the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22 despite a challenging season and last race.
“I just physically wasn’t where I would like to be,” Mu said. “I just didn’t feel my best, and so I knew it was going to be a little tough. But I mean, I was super faithful out there.”
Mu said she “felt hurt on her inside” during her race.
“So, just like USAs,” Mu said, “I just wanted to make sure I held my composure and just read it all the way to the line. Just again: Do my best.”
Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson finished behind Mu for the silver in a season-best 1:56.38 seconds, and Kenyan Mary Moraa took bronze in a personal best 1:56.71.
Mu said that this season, her first full season as a professional after spending one season running for Texas A&M, was “a whole lot of adjusting.” She added, “And although everyone of course may not see it, it was a lot because, you know, it was just a complete change.”
Hodgkinson, who is also 20 years old, finds herself relating to Mu’s struggles.
“I have great respect for her,” Hodgkinson said. “ We both probably have gone through a lot of changes this year, coming in and crushing athletes, so young and dealing with the pressures of trying to stay on top and chase each other.”
Earlier in the season, Mu tested positive for COVID-19 a week before the Diamond League’s Prefontaine Classic. She was not able to start off her outdoor season the way she anticipated.
Instead of running races, she found herself needing to build up her strength again.
“When I saw the race and just watched the results, of course, I wanted to be there because holding another title is super awesome to have,” Mu said in a previous SOJC Track Bureau article. “But at the same time, I realized this is not going to be the last Prefontaine. So, I just stuck it out and I accepted that it wasn’t going to happen and that it was what it was.”
Mu then transitioned to her next opportunity to maintain her Olympic dominance in USATF outdoor nationals, where she held off a charging Ajee’ Wilson. In the last 50 meters, Wilson challenged Mu’s position with the same kick that won her gold in March at the world indoor championships. The two battled side by side to the finish tape. However, Mu was able to lean and win by .07 seconds. She finished in 1 minute, 57.16 seconds while Wilson crossed at 1:57.23.
In Sunday’s race, instead of battling a fellow American rival in the last stretch, she battled international foes, Hodgkinson and Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, who challenged Mu’s usual command of the front. However, Mu was able to get some distance for herself in the last 200 meters.
“Just to be able to stand my ground after making some major accomplishments last year is definitely super super crazy and very surreal for me,” Mu said. “I’m just glad to have a great support system.”
