Trenton’s Athing Mu wins gold for U.S. in women’s 800 meters

Athing Mu of Trenton has won the women’s 800-meter final in track and field for the United States in the Olympics, finishing in a national record of 1:55.21. The 19-year-old was in a class of her own, streaking away from the field to set the fastest time of the year.

Mu, 19, became the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in the 800-meter race since Madeline Manning in 1968. She set the American record for the race. You can watch a replay of the race at 8 p.m. Tuesday night on NBC.

Born in Trenton, Mu graduated from Trenton Central High School in 2020 as an honors student. Her parents emigrated from Sudan, and she is the second youngest of seven siblings. In Trenton, she ran with the Trenton Track Club and was coached by Al Jennings. In 2020, Track and Field News named her the national high school indoor athlete of the year. She ran for Texas A&M for the 2020-21 academic year before deciding to go pro this June, when she signed a contract with Nike.