Athing Mu made sure she made it through Round 1.
The Trenton Track Club (NJ) athlete, a rising high school senior who's coming off a Pan American U20 Championship in the 800m in San Jose, Costa Rica, once again showed her mettled against the country's best women, running the second fastest 800m time across all heats at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, hitting 2:01.95 on the clock to advance to the semifinals on Friday.
Mu will feature in the semifinals of the women's 800m championships at 6:18 p.m. CST.
On Thursday, she stuck on the hip of Nike's Raevyn Rogers, who won the fourth heat in 2:01.77. Neither left any doubt of their semifinal bid, and were among 16 women advanced on to the semifinals.
Mu's time was just her second best all-time and it follows an effort of 2:01.38 that she achieved in June at the Music City Distance Carnival.
It stands just outside the top 10 efforts all-time.
But Mu will have a great opportunity on Friday, and potentially on Saturday, to eclipse both the junior class and national record of 1:59.51. The recently turned 17-year-old has a chance to qualify for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, and at this point should be already be reaching a tipping point with potential professional contracts.
Just a year ago at this time Mu was competing at the AAU Junior Olympics, where she won three gold medals in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m and earned a runner-up in the 200m.
Don't miss Mu on Friday.
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Women's 800m Semifinal Qualifiers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Raevyn Rogers | Athing Mu | Olivia Baker | Hanna Green |
| NIKE WCS | Trenton TC | Garden State TC New Balance | NIKE/NIKE OTCE WCS |
| 2:01.77 Q | 2:01.95 Q | 2:02.55 Q | 2:02.74 Q |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Savannah Camacho-Colon | Rebecca Mehra | Nia Akins | Ce'Aira Brown |
| Unattached | Oiselle/Little Wing Athletics | Penn | HOKA NJNYTC WCS |
| 2:02.75 q | 2:02.85 q | 2:03.34 Q | 2:03.52 Q |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Samantha Watson | Kenyetta Iyevbele | Rachel Pocratsky | Sadi Henderson |
| adidas | HOKA ONE ONE/HOKA NJNYTC | Virginia Tech | Oiselle/Little Wing Athletics |
| 2:03.69 Q | 2:03.80 Q | 2:03.99 q | 2:04.00 Q |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Meghan Manley | Ajee' Wilson | Brenna Detra | Michelle Howell |
| HOKA NJNYTC | adidas WCS | Boston Athletic Association | Unattached |
| 2:04.06 q | 2:04.69 Q | 2:05.05 Q | 2:05.12 Q |
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Athing Mu made sure she made it through Round 1.
The Trenton Track Club (NJ) athlete, a rising high school senior who's coming off a Pan American U20 Championship in the 800m in San Jose, Costa Rica, once again showed her mettled against the country's best women, running the second fastest 800m time across all heats at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, hitting 2:01.95 on the clock to advance to the semifinals on Friday.
