Athing Mu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Athing Mu

Mu competing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships
Personal information
Born	(2002-06-08) June 8, 2002 (age 23) Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
Height	5 ft 10 in
Weight	124 lb
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	800 meters, 400 meters
College team	Texas A&M Aggies
Club	Nike Trenton Track Club (youth)
Coached by	Bobby Kersee (2023–) Milton Mallard (2021–2022) Al Jennings (youth) Bernice Mitchell (youth)
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	400 m: 49.57 AJR (Eugene 2021) 800 m: 1:54.97 NR (Eugene 2023) Indoors 400 m: 50.52i (College Station 2021) 800 m: 1:58.40i WJR (College Station 2021)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo 800 m Gold 2020 Tokyo 4×400 m relay World Championships Gold 2022 Eugene 800 m Bronze 2023 Budapest 800 m Pan American U20 Championships Gold 2019 San José 800 m Youth Olympic Games Silver 2018 Buenos Aires 800 m
Updated on July 24, 2022.

Athing Mu (born June 8, 2002) is an American middle-distance runner. She is famous for being the youngest woman ever to win both Olympic and world titles in an individual track event. At just 19 years old, Athing won a gold medal in the 800 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This win also set a new American record! She also earned a second gold medal as part of the women's 4 × 400 meter relay team. In 2022, she became the World Champion in the 800 meters. This made her the first American woman to win that world championship title.

Athing holds the world record for athletes under 20 in the indoor 800 meters. She set this record in early 2021. She also holds the world's best time for athletes under 20 in the indoor 600 meters. She set this record in 2019 when she was 16 years old. Her time is the third fastest ever run indoors.

Early Life and Beginnings

Athing Mu was born and grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. She is one of seven children in her family. Her parents moved to the United States from South Sudan. Athing started running track when she was only 6 years old. Instead of joining her high school team, she chose to compete for the Trenton Track Club. She finished high school at Trenton Central High School in 2020.

Athing's Amazing Career

On February 24, 2019, Athing Mu broke the American women's record in the 600-meter event. She ran a time of 1:23.57 at the 2019 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. This was faster than the old record held by Alysia Montaño. She almost broke the world record too!

2021: Olympic Gold!

In 2021, Athing continued to break records. On February 6, she ran the indoor 400 meters in 50.52 seconds. This was faster than the official world record for athletes under 20. Later that month, she set a new indoor record for college athletes and a world record for athletes under 20 in the 800 meters, with a time of 1:58.40.

In April, she set another college record outdoors in the 800 meters, running 1:57.73. At the 2021 NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, she lowered her 400-meter college record to 49.57 seconds. She also helped her team win the 4 × 400 meter relay, setting a new college record of 3:22.34.

Athing qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which were held in 2021). She won the 800-meter race at the U.S. Olympic trials. At the Tokyo Games, she won two gold medals! She won the women's 800 meters and the women's 4 × 400 meters relay.

In her individual 800-meter race, Athing led from start to finish. She broke the American women's 800-meter record with a time of 1 minute 55.21 seconds. This was the first time an American woman won this Olympic event since 1968! Athing also became the youngest U.S. woman to win an individual Olympic track and field title since 1964.

After the Olympics, Athing set an even better American 800-meter record of 1 minute 55.04 seconds. She was voted the World Athletics Female Rising Star of the Year for her amazing season.

Mu at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon

2022: World Champion!

At the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July, Athing won the women's 800 meters gold medal. She ran a world-leading time of 1:56.30. She won by a tiny amount, just 0.08 seconds! This made Athing the first American woman to win the 800-meter world championship title. She also became the youngest woman in history to hold both Olympic and world titles in an individual track event.

2023: New American Record

In 2023, Athing competed in the 1500 meters at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and placed second. At the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, she competed in the 800 meters and won a bronze medal, placing third. Later that year, at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, she won the Diamond League final. She set a new American record with a time of 1:54.97!

2024: A Setback

After taking a break for nine months, Athing returned to compete at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials. Sadly, during the 800-meter final, she tripped and fell. She finished in last place, which meant she would not be able to defend her Olympic gold medal from three years before.

Achievements

All information taken from World Athletics profile.

Personal Best Times

Here are some of Athing Mu's best times in her events:

International Competitions

Athing Mu has won many medals for the USA:

Representing the  United States

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time	Notes
2018	Youth Olympic Games	Buenos Aires, Argentina	2nd	800 m	2:05.23
2019	Pan American U20 Championships	San José, Costa Rica	1st	800 m	2:05.50
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	1st	800 m	1:55.21	American Under-20 Record, National Record
			1st	4 × 400 m relay	3:16.85
2022	World Championships	Eugene, OR, United States	1st	800 m	1:56.30
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	3rd	800 m	1:56.61

Diamond League Wins

Athing has also won several races in the prestigious Diamond League series:

Awards

• World Athletics Awards
  • Rising Star (Women)：2021

Images for kids

• 

  Mu competing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships

See also

In Spanish: Athing Mu para niños