Athing Mu

Athing Mu is an American middle-distance runner who rose to international prominence as one of track and field's top athletes in the 800-meter and 400-meter events. Born on June 8, 2002, in Trenton, New Jersey, she achieved historical success at a remarkably young age, winning two Olympic gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Recognized for her fluid running style and competitive drive, Mu became the first American woman in over five decades to win Olympic gold in the 800 meters.

Early Life and Collegiate Success

Growing up as the second youngest of seven children in a South Sudanese-American family, Mu began running track at the age of six with the Trenton Track Club. Instead of competing for her high school team, she trained through her local club, quickly breaking national age-group records. In 2019, at just 16 years old, she broke the U.S. indoor 600-meter record at the USATF Indoor Championships. She later attended Texas A&M University for her freshman year in 2021, where she dominated collegiate competition. During her single collegiate season, Mu set multiple collegiate records in the 400 meters and 800 meters and claimed NCAA outdoor titles in the 400 meters and 4x400-meter relay before turning professional.

Olympic and World Championships

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, Mu delivered a historic performance by winning the women's 800-meter gold medal in a national record time of 1:55.21. She followed that victory by anchoring the Team USA women's 4x400-meter relay team to another gold medal. In 2022, she continued her momentum at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, securing the gold medal in the 800 meters and becoming the youngest woman to hold both Olympic and World Championship titles in an individual track event. She further lowered her U.S. 800-meter record to 1:54.97 at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, cementing her standing among the fastest women in middle-distance history.

Personal Life

Mu was raised in New Jersey and has maintained strong ties to her family and faith. Outside of athletics, she has expressed interest in fashion, modeling, and photography, participating in events like New York Fashion Week. In March 2025, she married Russian middle-distance runner Yegor Nikolayev in a private ceremony, later adopting the married name Athing Mu-Nikolayev. She continues her professional athletic career while training in the United States.