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Originally from South Sudan, Athing Mu is an American middle-distance runner and the youngest woman in history to hold Olympic and world titles in an individual track and field event. Find out more information about her here.
Athing Mu Background
Athing Mu is a star in American middle-distance running, and she already has an impressive background at a young age.
Mu is the second youngest of seven siblings, and her athletic journey began early, competing for the Trenton Track Club at just 6 years old under coach Al Jennings.
Mu chose not to run for her high school team, focusing on club competition, and this decision paid off as she shattered the American indoor 600-metre record as a 16-year-old.
She continued to excel at Trenton Central High School before heading to Texas A&M University. There, she became a collegiate standout, breaking numerous records in the 800 metres.
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Mu holds the world U20 best in the indoor 600 metres, set in 2019 as a 16 years old, clocking the third fastest ever run indoors.
She then went ahead to win the gold medal in the 800 metres at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at just 19 years old, breaking Ajee Wilson’s 2017 national record, and a continental under-20 record.
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She was also part of the women's 4 x 400 m relay team that won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In 2022, she became the first American woman to win the world championship title in 800 metres, while she also still holds the world under-20 record in the women's indoor 800 m, a record she set in early 2021.
How old is Athing Mu? (Athing Mu Age)
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Athing Mu was born on June 8, 2002, making her 22 years old as of July 2024.
Despite being young, she is a force to be reckoned with in middle-distance running, and she has already achieved incredible things, becoming the youngest woman to hold both Olympic and World Championship titles in the 800 metres.
Athing Mu is from what country? (Athing Mu Country)
Athing Mu has a South Sudanese heritage, but she represents the United States, and all her accomplishments have come as an American.
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While she was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, making her a citizen of the United States, her parents are from South Sudan, a nation in East-Central Africa.
However, they immigrated to the US where Mu has lived all her life, and trained to be a successful athlete.
How tall is Athing Mu? (Athing Mu Height)
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Athing Mu is 5 feet 10 inches tall (178 cm). This height gives her a strong stride advantage in middle-distance running events like the 800 meters and the 400 metres.
Athing Mu 800m time
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Athing Mu is one of the fastest 800 meters runners, and her personal best time sits at an impressive 1:54.97, which she achieved at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon in September 2023.
This time not only makes her the American record holder in the event, but it ranks her among the elite in the world.
The world record for the women's 800 meters is 1:53.28, set by Jarmila Kratochvílova in 1983, and Mu will surely have her mind set on breaking that record. Her young age and talent suggest she could potentially break the record in the future.
Athing Mu 4x400
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Athing Mu is a key member of the US Women's 4x400m relay team. While her specialty is the 800m, her strong 400m speed (personal best of 49.57 seconds) makes her a valuable asset in the relay.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she anchored the gold-medal winning 4x400m team, running the final leg and securing victory.
Athing Mu Injury
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Athing Mu was sidelined with a hamstring injury and could not race from September 2023 until June 2024 during the US Olympic Trials.
Can Athing Mu go to the Olympics? (Athing Mu Olympics)
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Athing Mu Fall
Athing Mu's heartbreaking fall occurred during the 800m final at the 2024 US Olympic Trials. Early in the race, she got tangled up with other runners and fell hard to the track.
Though she bravely got back up and finished the race, the fall shattered her chances of qualifying for the individual 800m in the Paris Olympics.
The former world champion was the favourite to win the 800m during the US trials, but she tripped around the 200m mark, which gave her no chance of catching up with the others by the time she got up.
Athing Mu Appeal
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Athing Mu's team appealed the results of the 800m race after her fall at the US Trials. They argued that another runner impeded her, causing the fall and ruining her chance to qualify.
Unfortunately, USATF officials denied the appeal, upholding the original results.
Her coach also revealed that she suffered an ankle injury, had track burns, and got spiked as a result of the fall.
Will Athing Mu compete in the 2024 Olympics?
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There is still a chance that Athing Mu might be part of the Olympics, as she is eligible to be included in the 400 metre relay pool with whom she won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The final decision on the 4x400m team has not been announced, but there is a strong possibility she will be selected.
Athing Mu Coach
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Athing Mu's current coach is the legendary Bobby Kersee, whom she began training with in 2023.
Kersee is known for his innovative training methods and has coached numerous Olympic champions.
He was the coach and husband of Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kerseem and is the current coach of American hurdler Sydney Michelle McLaughlin, the youngest U.S. Olympian to compete in track and field since 1972.
Athing Mu vs Keely Hodgkinson
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Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson are currently the fiercest rivals in the women's 800m.
Mu has dominated the competition in recent years, winning the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Championships. However, Hodgkinson is a rising British star, and has consistently pushed Mu, taking silver medals at both events.
Hodgkinson beat Mu at the 2023 World Championship in Budapest, but she still could not get the gold, as Kenya’s Mary Moraa beat both of them.
Mu's recent fall at the US Trials throws a wrench into the mix for the 2024 Olympics, where Hodgkinson will be favoured in the individual 800m.
Can Athing Mu run for another country?
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Due to international competition rules, it is highly unlikely that Athing Mu could compete for another country at this point.
As she was born and raised in the US, she would likely need to establish residency and compete for another nation for an extended period (typically 3 years) to switch allegiances. This, combined with her already representing the US at the Olympics, makes it a non-viable option.
Who is Athing Mu dating? (Athing Mu boyfriend)
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Athing Mu is currently single, as per several sources. However, she used to date Brandon Miller, another track and field athlete, and they were quite open about their relationship on social media.
Athing Mu and Brandon Miller
There was no official announcement, but strong evidence suggests Athing Mu and Brandon Miller likely broke up.
Fans noticed they unfollowed each other on social media and deleted pictures together around the 2023 USA Championships.
The relationship started in August 2022, and they were widely celebrated as one of track and field’s couple goals.
Athing Mu Net Worth
Athing Mu's net worth is estimated to be in the range of $1 million to $2 million USD as of July 2024. This estimation considers prize money, sponsorships, and endorsement deals.
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The former world champion recently signed a deal with Coca-Cola, while she has deals with brands such as Nike, Neiman Marcus, and Olay.
She even walked at New York Fashion Week in 2022.
Athing Mu Instagram
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Athing Mu has an active Instagram account (@athiiing) where she posts about her career and life events.
The account has over 189,000 followers as of July 2024.
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