America’s unforgiving system for Olympic qualification is under the microscope after it likely lost a gold medal a month before the Paris Games begin.
Reigning women’s 800m champion Athing Mu will not defend her title after suffering a dramatic fall at the US trials in Eugene, Oregon on Monday.
The 22-year-old, one of the sensations of the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Games, crashed to the track at around the 200m mark in the final at Hayward Field.
Mu, who was also a member of the USA’s victorious 4x400m relay team in Tokyo, crossed the finish line in tears after failing to make up ground following her tumble.
“Athing Mu was tripped in the 800m, fell down in the first 200m of the race and I can’t help but feel TERRIBLE for her,” former NFL player Robert Griffin tweeted.
“She got her Olympic opportunity taken away from her by something out of her control. That’s HEARTBREAKING.”
“I’ve never been more of a fan of federations handpicking athletes to send to the Olympics. If that race happened 100 more times, Athing Mu would win every one. Can’t believe we just lost the 2024 Olympic Champ,” wrote a fan on X.
“The US ain’t medaling at all come August, they know what they should do if they want medals. It’s not like those girls were faster than her.”
But US Olympic legend Michael Johnson, who won the 200m and 400m in 1996 and the 400m in 2000, hit back.
“We all feel terrible for Athing,” he tweeted. “(But) our US Trials selection policy works best because it eliminates politics in selection. And the strength and depth of the US team allows such a policy.”
The agonising moment highlighted the brutal nature of the US Olympic track and field trials, one of the most competitive meetings in world athletics outside of a major championship.
Only the top three finishers of each event qualify for the Olympic squad, which does not take into account other races or performances throughout the season.
Mu, the 2022 world champion, had not raced all season before the trials as she worked her way back from injury.
However she had looked comfortable in the early rounds of the 800m, and had seemed poised to book her place on the Olympic team.
Mu’s coach, Bobby Kersee, said Mu got clipped by another runner on the backstretch of the first lap, which caused her to veer to her left and tumble to the ground.
But USA Track and Field officials denied an appeal after reviewing footage of the incident.
They did not give details. Normally, protests are granted when there’s clear evidence of a runner obstructing another runner. Incidental contact is considered part of normal racing.
Mu, who scrambled to her feet to complete the race, will be eligible for the relay pool.
Instead, the US 800m trio in Paris will be headed by Nia Akins, who won in 1min 57.36sec, with Allie Wilson second and Juliette Whittaker third.
The winning time was more than two seconds slower than Mu’s gold medal winning mark.
Another woman in the race, Sage Hurta-Klecker, said she wasn’t happy about how Mu’s fall impacted her race. “I’m really pissed how that played out,” she said.
In other events on Monday, Quincy Hall won the men’s 400m in a time of 44.17sec, pipping Michael Norman, who was second in 44.41sec.
Chris Bailey was third in 44.42sec, while 16-year-old schoolboy Quincy Wilson missed out on an automatic berth in Paris after finishing in sixth place.
Wilson may still earn an Olympic ticket as part of the 4x400m relay squad.
Meanwhile, world 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway signalled he is ready to add Olympic gold to his resume after scorching to a world-leading 12.92sec in his first heat.
– with AFP