Athing Mu-Nikolayev

Background

From an early age, Athing Mu-Nikolayev proved to be a prodigious talent. Running for the Trenton Track Club, Athing went undefeated in all her domestic finals in 2018 and ended her year by winning the silver medal in the 800m at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. A year later, Athing catapulted herself into the senior spotlight with her victory in the 600m at the USATF Indoor Championships in 1:23.57, a new US senior record and, at the time, the second-fastest women’s time ever run indoors.

As a freshman at Texas A&M in 2021, Mu set collegiate records for 800m indoors and outdoors and won the 400m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 49.57, an NCAA record at the time, before anchoring the Aggies to first in the 4x400m relay. Deciding to focus on the 800m for the rest of the summer, Athing won the US Olympic Trials in a new US record of 1:56.07 and went on to win the gold medal in the 800m in commanding style, setting another new US record of 1:55.21, before earning another gold medal as part of Team USA’s 4x400m relay. She ended her storybook 2021 season with a win over 800m at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in 1:55.04, lowering her own American record.

The following year, Athing repeated as US Champion and won gold in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Athing’s 2023 season was limited by injuries, however she still managed to win the bronze medal in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, before capping off her season with a win at the Nike Prefontaine Classic, earning her first Wanda Diamond League title.