Ating Mu, last year's Olympic gold medalist in the 800 meters, stumbled and fell during qualifying on Monday, ending his hopes of making the U.S. team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The shocking turn of events for Mu, a 2023 world championship bronze medalist, showed just how difficult it is to make the U.S. track and field Olympic team.
Nia Akins, Allie Wilson and Juliet Whitaker took first, second and third places, and all will be competing in their first Olympic Games.
The accident happened just minutes after the final race at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, to determine who would board the plane to Paris.
Starting with the Opening Ceremony on July 26 at 12pm ET, every moment and every medal from the Paris 2024 Olympics will be available to stream on Peacock.
“It doesn't matter who it is,” Ato Boldon told NBC Olympics during a roundtable discussion before the prequalifiers. “There's definitely drama. It's the hardest team-building in the world.”
Earlier this year, Mu suffered from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss two tournaments.
Still, many expected her to compete in Paris.
“It's tough to watch, especially for someone like Assing who can win gold,” 400-meter hurdler Rai Benjamin said on the sidelines of the competition Monday, “and I just feel bad for her, because she should have been there. But that's USA Track and Field. It's the hardest team to make and anything can happen here.”
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Mu won gold medals in the 800 meters and 4×400 meter relay.
