Athing Mu Opens With 53.54 Now Third All-Time Indoor for NJ


Athing Mu of the Trenton Track Club opened her season on Sunday running a US No. 1 time of 53.54 over 400m and doubled back with 24.11 US No. 3 in the 200m during the AAU Mid-Season Indoor Invitational Championship at the Armory in New York. She is only the third New Jersey girl to run under 54 seconds in the state's indoor history. 

During the 400m event, Mu split a 27.77 over the first 200m and followed that up with 26.76 the second lap around. 

The two athletes ahead of her on the all-time 400m list? That would be two of the all-time New Jersey greats. Olivia Baker of Columbia HS second all-time at 53.49 from 2014 and the Olympian and National record holder Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic who posted a ridiculous 51.61 at the 2017 New Balance National Indoor. 

She is also now third all-time on the 200m state list with Wendy Vereen of Trenton the state record holder at 23.84 and Sydney McLaughlin second with a 24.00 performance in 2016.

Pretty good company. 

This shoots Mu to the top of the national rankings, the US No. 1 400m time leading into today was a 54.88 by Nicole Payne of Oak Mountain (AL). Mu's previous indoor bests were shattered as well, a 54.98 when she won the Emerging Elite 400m at NBNI last winter and 24.74 from winning the Armory Youth Championships in 2018. Her outdoor PRs are 52.45 and 23.63. Mu is also the defending Indoor Nationals 800m winner.