American Gold Medalist Athing Mu Suffers Fall During Olympic Trials As Dreams Of A Repeat Shatter

American track star Athing Mu will not be representing the United States in the upcoming Paris Olympics after suffering a fall during a U.S. trials race on Monday. 

Mu, who won gold in both the 800 meter and 4x400 meter relay during the 2020 Olympics, fell to the track just 200 meters into the race. She was racing on the outside of the bunched pack of runners and began making a move closer to the inside which is when she tripped and fell, causing runners behind her to jump over her.

In the split second before falling, Mu glanced to her left in what could have been a brief moment of distraction that resulted in her spill to the surface.

Mu, 22, did get back to her feet but could not make up any ground before crossing the finish line 22 seconds behind the winner of the race, Nia Akins. She did not take part in any interview after the race and reportedly choked back tears as she left the track and into the tunnel.

"I have a little mama bear feeling," Alysia Montano, who suffered a similar fate during trials in 2016, said of Mu's fall. "But the race is brutal sometimes. It’s two laps, a tight race and everyone’s feeling scrappy to try to figure out what position they want to get into."

Mu filed an appeal, but after USA Track and Field went through countless replays late into the night, it was denied.

Her coach, Bobby Kersee, said that Mu picked up track burns, was spiked, and hurt her ankle as a result of the fall.

While Mu will officially be missing out on the 800-meter race in Paris later this summer, she could still go to Paris as part of the U.S. relay pool. 

The Olympic trials were Mu's first track meet of 2024 after dealing with injuries earlier in the season.