WORLD CHAMPION MU RETURNS TO ACTION WITH DECISIVE WIN AT NYC GRAND PRIX
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2023 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved – Used with permission.
NEW YORK (24-Jun) — Reigning Olympic and world 800m champion Athing Mu made her long-anticipated return to competition here today at the New York City Grand Prix, and the 21 year-old from nearby Trenton, New Jersey, had a very good day at the office. Unpressed, she dominated the women’s 800m in 1:58.73, beating the rest of the field by over two seconds, and immediately pronounced that the rust she had accumulated from exactly 11 months away from competition had been busted.
“It felt good, honestly,” she told reporters in the mixed zone. “That almost felt like running in practice, getting a good rep in. I’m glad that it wasn’t too bad because it was 1:58. That felt pretty good.”
Mu, who wore the special black and white kit that Nike provides to their world champions, was fully focused right from the start. She got a huge round of applause from the 5,000 fans in Icahn Stadium when she was introduced, but did not react.
“I’m like, golly, should I turn?” Mu said later when asked about her reception here. “Should I stay locked in? I’m like, what do I do? It was great. They are so awesome here. I haven’t felt a crowd like this in a while.”
Mu was the first athlete behind pacemaker Brittany Ogunmokun of Nigeria to break to the curb, and already had the lead at 200 meters. At the halfway mark (59.6 seconds), the pack was still close behind, but down the backstretch Mu started to pull away. She rounded the final bend with a comfortable lead, and extended it to the tape. She showed her usual fluid stride, and showed no signs of tying-up.
“I think I really just wanted to come out today and be competitive, but also win,” Mu told Race Results Weekly. But I think most importantly, just get in an environment where there was good athletes. I really haven’t trained with a big old group like this, not every day. Just come out here and get that feeling for what’s to come in the next couple of months.”
Behind Mu, There was a pitched battle for second, and Sage Hurta-Klecker of the On Athletics Club just out-leaned Allie Wilson of the Atlanta Track Club, 2:00.77 to 2:00.80. Schoffield faded to finish seventh in 2:01.57.
Mu will next race at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, which open on July 6 at Hayward Field. She’s the defending…
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