American runner Athing Mu entered the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Monday hoping to qualify for a chance to repeat as Olympic champion.
But a surprising crash during the two-lap race put paid to those hopes. Mu, who was a member of the 4×400 gold medal team at the Tokyo Games, lost his balance after becoming tangled in a group of runners and stumbling to the ground.
The amount of ground Mu lost due to the fall was ultimately too much for her and she was unable to catch up with the rest of the group of runners.
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Athing Mu before competing in the women's 800-meter final during the US Olympic Team Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 24, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon. (Getty Images)
Mu was running in the third lane from the rail when she veered too close to fellow Tokyo Olympian Raevyn Rogers.
Mu coach Bobby Kersee confirmed that a protest was filed with USA Track and Field. The appeal was based on the premise that Mu was “impeded” by other runners.
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USA Track and Field officials reviewed footage of the race late into the night but ultimately decided to deny the appeal. Details about the decision were not made public. Typically, protests are granted when there is clear evidence that a runner is obstructing another runner. Incidental contact is considered part of normal racing.
Athing Mu competes in the women's 800 meter final at the US Olympic Team Track and Field Trials on June 24, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Mu was in the third rail from the rail when she approached fellow American middle distance athlete and Olympian Raevyn Rogers. At one point, the two athletes' feet appeared to become tangled, but Rogers managed to avoid falling to the ground entirely.
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Kersee added that Mu, 22, received a puncture, suffered scrapes from the fall and also injured his ankle.
He acknowledged the unforgiving nature of the American system, which awards Olympic berths to the top three finishers in trials but makes no exceptions for past performances or Olympic champions.
“I've coached it, I've preached it, I've watched it,” Kersee said. “And here's another indication that, no matter how good we are, we can leave some better athletes home than other countries. It's part of our American way.”
Athing Mu competes on day four of the US Olympic Team Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 24, 2024. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Other nations have contingency plans regarding the athlete selection process for the Olympic Games when situations similar to Mu's arise. In certain cases, an athlete's performance over the course of a season or their results are taken into account. passed in Olympic Games or World Championships.
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The United States does not currently have any type of safety net built into its selection process.
Mu will be eligible for the relay group.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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