Mary Moraa reveals how she felt watching track rival Athing Mu's fall at U.S. Olympic trials

Mary Moraa reveals how she felt watching track rival Athing Mu's fall at U.S. Olympic trials

Abigael Wafula 17:58 - 11.07.2024

Mary Moraa has disclosed how she felt watching Athing Mu stumble at the U.S. Olympic trials and fail to make the women's 800m team.

Mary Moraa has empathised with Athing Mu, the reigning Olympic champion, following her elimination from the Olympic team to Paris, France.

Mu opened her season at the U.S. Olympic trials, hoping to make it to the team and defend her title but luck was not on her side during the final of the women’s 800m race. She started off quite impressive, finishing third in the preliminaries before winning her specific semifinal.

Trouble awaited her in the final, where she was unfortunately tripped and she fell. She picked herself up and finished the race ninth, failing to make the cut to the Olympic team.

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The world 800m silver medallist was battling a slight injury that made her open her season late and her title defense hopes at the Olympics have now hit a snug, forcing her to wait until the 2028 LA Olympics. She was also not selected in the relay pool, meaning she will not represent the U.S. at all.

Speaking about the unfortunate occurrence, Kisii Express noted that Mu is like a sister to her and not making it to the Olympics will be a huge setback to her as well.

The reigning world champion noted that competing against Mu always pushes her to the limits and she can clock faster times.

“When I was watching the trials, I was very disappointed when I saw she had fallen down. She is like my sister and when she fell and didn’t make the Olympic team, I was very disappointed,” Moraa said.

“I believe that it is always great to have the three of us (Keely Hodgkinson, Mu and Moraa) because of the tough competition which always makes us run faster times. I was very disappointed and it was hard to process that.”

The 24-year-old will now lock horns with Hodgkinson who is also in great shape and targeting the gold medal. The duo has clashed once, at the Prefontaine Classic, where Moraa was forced to finish second behind the Briton.