Athing Mu
USA
Athletics
Overall Ranks
#28 among American Olympians
#24 among Track & Field Athletes
#9 among Female American Olympians
#6 among Female Track & Field Athletes
#5 among American Female Track & Field Athletes
Olympic Results
2020
800m - Gold
4x400m Relay - Gold
Total
Events - 2
Gold - 2
Athing Mu was born on June 8, 2002 in Trenton, New Jersey, to parents who had emigrated from South Sudan, and began running track at the age of 6. Upon graduating from high school in 2020, she attended Texas A&M, and also competed in the Olympic trials in early 2021, just days after she turned 19. Her time in the trials was the fastest in the world up to that point in the year, and she was made the favorite heading to Tokyo.
As the 800m started, Mu immediately sprinted to the front of the pack, and led the entire first lap at a steady pace, but as soon as the final lap started, she pulled away from the others, and by the finish line, she was 0.67 seconds ahead of anyone else, taking home an easy gold medal. She was the second-youngest winner of the event in history, and the youngest American woman to win track gold since 1964.
She also ran in the 4x400m relay, though she didn't usually run the 400m. She was assigned the anchor leg, but by the time she was given the baton, the race was practically over, as the Americans were 15 meters ahead of Poland, a gap of 1.5 seconds. Mu then ran the fastest leg of anyone, finishing her lap in 48.32 seconds, and the Americans won the race by nearly 4 seconds.
After Tokyo, Mu won the 800m World Championship in 2022, but only took bronze in the 2023 edition. In the 2024 Olympic trials, she tripped during her final race, causing her to miss out on going to Paris for the Olympics. She is still young, and actively competing, so she may be able to add to her medal count in 2028, but with what she has already done, she is one of the greatest Olympians of all time.
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