EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Observe officers denied an attraction by 800-meter Olympic champion Athing Mu, who obtained tangled in a pack of runners and fell on the U.S. trials, denying her an opportunity to defend her title.
Mu’s coach, Bobby Kersee, mentioned Mu obtained clipped by one other runner on the backstretch of the primary lap, which triggered her to veer to her left and tumble to the bottom.
USA Observe and Subject officers reviewed footage of Monday night time’s race deep into the night however ultimately denied the attraction. They didn’t give particulars. Usually, protests are granted when there’s clear proof of a runner obstructing one other runner. Incidental contact is taken into account a part of regular racing.
Patrick Smith through Getty Photos
Mu, who scrambled to her ft to finish the race, will likely be eligible for the relay pool. She was a part of the gold-medal group within the 4×400 on the Tokyo Video games.
Kersee mentioned the 22-year-old Mu obtained spiked, suffered scrapes from the autumn and in addition damage her ankle.
He acknowledged the unforgiving nature of the U.S. system, which awards spots within the Olympics to the highest three finishers on the trials however doesn’t make exceptions for previous performances or Olympic champions.
“I’ve coached it, I’ve preached it, I’ve watched it,” Kersee mentioned. “And right here’s one other indication that no matter how good we’re, we will depart some higher athletes house than different international locations have. It’s a part of our American approach.”
AP Summer season Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games