19-year-old Athing Mu breaks trials record in 800m run
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Athing Mu is in a league of her own.
The 19-year-old phenomenon took the win in the 800-meter run, finishing with a time of 1:56.07, that’s both an Olympic trials record and the second-best American time in the event. Kicking things off on the wrong foot (I mean did you see that collision on the track with another competitor?), Mu wound up on top and earned her plane ticket to the Tokyo games next month.
With roots in Sudan, Mu is a freshman at Texas A&M University. With her parents emigrating prior to her birth, the 19-year-old is the youngest of seven and chooses to focus her energy in elite track and field.
The New Jersey native has the fastest time in the 400-meter this year, but ultimately chose to compete in the 800-meter later next month.
In a post-race interview, Mu opened up about what it means to go to the Olympics.
“Every time somebody asked me, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’” Mu told reporters in Eugene, Oregon, before the race. “I’m always like, I want to be a professional athlete and I want to be an Olympian. Those are two things I would say. Now it’s a reality.”
