Olympic champion Athing Mu will miss Paris 2024 after falling in U.S. Olympic Trials and having her appeal denied

USA’s Athing Mu will not compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 800m fell in the final at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials – Track and Field, and her request for an appeal has now been denied.

It means the American misses out on the chance to defend the title she won at Tokyo 2020 held in 2021.

Mu, who was racing for the first time since September 2023 due to a hamstring injury, got off to a decent start in the trials on Monday (24 June), pushing to the front of the pack as they made their way onto the opening straight. But 200m into the race, she fell over amid a tight pack and faced an uphill battle to catch up. Despite her best efforts, she went on to finish in last place.

The women’s 800 final was won by Nia Akins, who recorded a personal best of 1:57.36, finishing ahead of Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker, with the top three all finishing in the selection positions Team USA earmarked for their Paris 2024 berths*.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Mu won two golds on her Olympic debut in Tokyo, in the women’s 800m and the women’s 4 x 400m relay.