Athing Mu Falls Short at US Trials, Out of 2024 Paris Olympics

Athing Mu, the reigning women’s Olympic 800m champion, will not participate in the 2024 Paris Games to defend her title after falling during the US trials. At the US trials in Eugene, Oregon, the 22-year-old stumbled and fell while running in the middle of the pack, approximately 200 meters into the race. Unfortunately, this setback led to her finishing in last place.

Nia Akins emerged victorious in the race and will join runner-up Allie Wilson and third-placed Juliette Whittaker in representing the US in Paris. Athing Mu, who had been a formidable competitor, was expected to challenge Team GB’s Keely Hodgkinson, who won silver behind Mu in the 800m in Tokyo as a teenager.

In the men’s 400m, Quincy Hall overtook 2022 world champion Michael Norman in the final stretch to win with a time of 44.14 seconds. Norman acknowledged that he could have performed better, attributing his race execution to being overly excited in the moment. This led to him making mistakes that affected his performance adversely.

Chris Bailey secured third place in the men’s 400m at the US trials, solidifying his spot to compete in Paris. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson’s impressive sixth-place finish positions him as a strong contender for inclusion in the relay team roster.