Athing Mu Sets American Record, New World Lead In 600
A South Sudanese-American Athiang Mou has set a new American record making her the second fastest 600m runner in the world(Photo credit: MileSplitUSA)
Sunday February 24, 2019(SSNN) — Before Sunday, most general fans of high school running knew the name Athing Mu.
After Sunday, the world better take notice.
In the women’s 600 meter final at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships, she put up an otherworldly performance, amazing those in attendance at the Ocean Breeze Facility in Staten Island, New York, by running to a new high school national record, a new American Record, a new U18 record, a new World Junior record and a new World Lead in 1:23.57.
View: USATF Indoor Championship Results
She was just 0.13 seconds away from tying the World Record last set in 2004 and ran the No. 2 fastest 600 meter race all-time.
And she blitzed–by nearly three seconds–her own preliminary win of 1:26.23 on Saturday, which reset the high school national record that had stood since 2017.
There was no two ways around it: Mu’s run on Sunday was jaw-dropping, out-of-your-seat, did-she-just-do-that entertainment.
Not just a High School Record, not just a U20 Record, but that’s the overall American Record and World Lead for Athing Mu (@athiiing)! She wins the US Indoor title for 600m with an astounding 1:23.57. Unbelievable!
She opened with a 25.99 second lap, held the pace strong for 29.15 in the second frame and then tore down the final two turns to finish her last oval in 28.55, answering the move, and then beating Nike’s Raevyn Rogers (1:24.88) to win her first senior national championship.
Mu is the nation’s top high school middle-distance runner, with four US No. 1s in the 400m, 600m, 800m and 1K. Her plan is to run the 800m at New Balance Nationals Indoor in March at The Armory in New York City.
And there, Mu is just a few seconds shy of the national record as well. She owns junior class records in the 600m and 1K.
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