Reigning Olympic women’s 800-meter champion Athing Mu won’t get the chance to defend her gold medal in Paris after tripping during the event finals at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on Monday in Eugene, Ore.
Mu got up and completed the race, but she finished last among the eight competitors. Nia Akins (1 minute, 57.36 seconds), Allie Wilson (1:58.32) and Juliette Whittaker (1:58.45) snagged the top three spots and berths at the Olympics.
One of the day’s other big storylines involved another competitor who failed to race his way to Paris. Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old from Maryland, wound up in sixth place in the men’s 400-meter final.
Three days earlier, Wilson set a world record for men under 18 in the event at 44.66 seconds, but he ran a 44.94 on Monday.
Wilson wasn’t too upset about his placement.
“Three consecutive sub-44s is just amazing,” he said, according to USA Today. “All I know is I gave it everything I had, and I can’t be disappointed. At the end of the day, I’m 16 running grown-man times.”
Quincy Hall (44.17), Michael Norman (44.41) and Chris Bailey (44.42) wound up first, second and third in the event.
Meet records fell in the women’s 5,000 meters and the men’s 1,500 meters.
In the women’s 5,000, Elle St. Pierre, a 29-year-old from Vermont, won in 14:40.34. The old meet record of 14:45.35 was established by Regina Jacobs in 2000.
St. Pierre, who held her 1-year-old son after the victory, said on NBC, “The 5k always hurts, and I just dug a little deeper at the end there. … It’s just so emotional to have Ivan here, and I’m really proud to be his mom.”
Elise Cranny came in second place in 14:40.36, and Karissa Schweizer took third place in 14:45.12.
Cole Hocker ran a 3:30.59 in the men’s 1,500 meters, edging Yared Nuguse (3:30.86), with Hobbs Kessler coming in third at 3:31.53.
Jeremiah Davis prevailed in the men’s long jump finals at 8.20 meters (26 feet, 11 inches), a distance he reached on his third attempt. Malcolm Clemons and Jarrion Lawson tied for second at 8.18 meters (26-10).
Charity Hufnagel won the women’s high jump at 1.94 meters (6-4 1/4 inches). Rachel Glenn cleared the same height but came in second as she needed more attempts. Vashti Cunningham finished third at 1.91 meters (6-3 1/4 inches).
–Field Level Media
