World 800m silver medallist Athing Mu ran a tactical race as she closed her season with a surprised World Leading time in the women 800m race at the prestigious Prefontaine Classic held on Sunday night in Oregon.
The 21 year-old lowered her own American Record of 1:55.19 that she set in 2021 with a new record of 1:54.97 which is also the Meeting Record and new personal best.
“I’m just happy with how I felt out here, just completely, I felt really new and refreshed, and I’m just happy — I wasn’t even hoping for the American Record, I was just hoping for a PR,” said Mu.
Double World 800m silver medallist, Keely Hodgkinson from Great Britain came home in second place with a new National Record time of 1:55.19, taking home the Diamond League trophy as a finale qualifier.
The 2019 Pan American Games champion Natoya Goule-Toppin of Jamaica closed the podium three finishes in a National Record time of 1:56.96 erasing the old record of 1:56.15 that she set five years ago in Monaco.
World 800m champion, Mary Moraa could not respond to the kick of Mu and Hodgkinson forcing her to drift back and cross the finish line in fourth in 1:57.42 with former World outdoor champion Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda finishing in fifth in 1:58.34.
LEADING RESULTS
800M WOMEN
- Athing Mu (USA) 1:54.97 NR,MR,WL,PB
- Kelly Hodgkinson (GBR) 1:55.19 NR,PB
- Natoya Goule (JAM) 1:55.96 NR, PB
- Mary Moraa (KEN) 1:57.42
- Halimah Nakaayi (UGA) 1:58.34
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