¶ '21 wOT 800: Athing Mu 1:56.07 (WL)

[58Commander]

I hope she has a solid team around here because her size, stride and speed could put her on podiums for years to come. What a great story.

[guru]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's too bad natural Semenya is not still running.

[booond]

Mu needs to do better on the break. Take your time getting to the first lane. The stumble happened because she ended up directly in the middle where there is likely the most trouble.

[tandfman]

She will just go through life, "That's Athing MO, spelled M-U." Not a big deal, as the world gets smaller we are all having to figure out how to pronounce names we've never heard before. Gone are the days of living in a little hamlet. (U all your life with the Smiths and Joneses.

IIRC, the first time she became prominent (at the indoor nationals), they pronounced it Mo, and it's always been that way since then. But I've now heard the tv commentators at the Trials pronounce her first name a THING, stressing the second syllable, which seems very odd to me. (I have no ides how she pronounces it.)

[KDFINE]

In the could woulda shoulda department I thought that Kate Grace would have had a better shot in the 1500. (But then, I don't know her training was going.)

[AFelixFan]

Great race by Mu! The expected three qualified, though Wilson never looked a sure thing in the race. I thought she might've been left off the team with 100 to go.

[Atticus]

I expected Mu to win, but at the same time, when Ajee and RR were close at 600, I thought Mu would get 3rd. She didn't really separate till almost 700m, but then . . . wow.
I have said before that she didn't have that last gear in a kicker's race, but once again, I fell for the turnover vs. stride-length illusion. She is so powerful for such a young athlete!

[cigar95]

Despite being 2 seconds off the WJR, Mu moves to #3 on the all-time list behind only Jelimo and Semenya.

[26mi235]

I expected Mu to win, but at the same time, when Ajee and RR were close at 600, I thought Mu would get 3rd. She didn't really separate till almost 700m, but then . . . wow.
I have said before that she didn't have that last gear in a kicker's race, but once again, I fell for the turnover vs. stride-length illusion. She is so powerful for such a young athlete!

I always figured that Mu was between 50%-75% likely win, especially with Ajee not looking that good. Maybe she thought she could get in with a secondary peak and is still working at being at the peak for Tokyo, not at the Trials.

[scottmitchell74]

Despite being 2 seconds off the WJR, Mu moves to #3 on the all-time list behind only Jelimo and Semenya.

Interesting. Semenya's records still count even though she is banned?

[jazzcyclist]

Mu needs to do better on the break. Take your time getting to the first lane. The stumble happened because she ended up directly in the middle where there is likely the most trouble.

After looking at the straight-on view I lay 100% of the blame on Akins. She was the one moving erratically not Mu. However, Mu needs to be conscious of the fact that many runners aren't used to competing against runners with her long stride and backkick and she will have to deal with careless runners like Akins throughout her career. Thank God Mu doesn't have the Morgan Uceny disease and was able to stay on her feet.

[gh]

Interesting. Semenya's records still count even though she is banned?

she was eligible under the rules in play at the time

(and to put a more precise point on it, she's not "banned" now; just restricted as to which events she can compete in)

[booond]

After looking at the straight-on view I lay 100% of the blame on Akins. She was the one moving erratically not Mu. However, Mu needs to be conscious of the fact that many runners aren't used to competing against runners with her long stride and backkick and she will have to deal with careless runners like Akins throughout her career. Thank God Mu doesn't have the Morgan Uceny disease and was able to stay on her feet.

I'm not affixing blame. Mu ran to the middle where the most runners congregate and where it is most dangerous. Thankfully, for her, nothing but a misstep occurred.

BTW, my position that she should've doubled to secure a spot and alleviate the risk in the 800 thankfully wasn't a realized prediction of doom.

[ThrowsMom]

watching Mu run reminded me so much of Alberto Juantorena's stride... which makes me wonder if we won't be treated to a 400m/800m double in Paris!

[booond]

I always figured that Mu was between 50%-75% likely win, especially with Ajee not looking that good. Maybe she thought she could get in with a secondary peak and is still working at being at the peak for Tokyo, not at the Trials.

Ajee's problem is an age-old one in that she has faster competitors and must produce faster times to compete. She ran 4:05 in 2018. It might be time to head to the 1500.