)
Athing Mu has clarified that despite media portrayal, she and Keely Hodgkinson are not true rivals but simply two young, talented athletes competing in the 800m.
Former Olympic and world champion Athing Mu has opened up about the relationship she shares with her track rival Keely Hodgkinson.
The world 800m bronze medallist explained that there is no rivalry but that the two are great runners trying to showcase their talent.
The 22-year-old explained that their talent always speaks for them and the fact that they are young and have immense skills makes people believe they have intense rivalry.
)
19:32 - 22.09.2024
‘She said yes’: Track & field stars who have ‘gone off the market’ in 2024
Marriage proposals have been witnessed among track and field stars during the 2024 campaign but who are the athletes ending the season with an engagement ring on their finger?
“I’ve seen things on track outlets and on my social media. She is great. I don’t think we’re really rivals. We’re just two really good athletes in the 800, super young, and having that fire between us, we’re going to go out there and compete. But I feel like the moment you start thinking about rivals is where things kind of fall apart,” Athing Mu told Guardian Sport.
The competition between Athing Mu and Hodgkinson dates back to the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where Mu beat the Briton to claim top honours in the hotly contested 800m final.
They escalated their rivalry to the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, Eugene, where Athing Mu had better legs and claimed a dominant win with Hodgkinson being forced to settle for second place. Mary Moraa entered the chat with her third-place finish at the global showpiece.
)
06:19 - 25.09.2024
The millions set aside for Faith Kipyegon, Gabby Thomas, Mary Moraa & Co in New York
Faith Kipyegon, Mary Moraa, Gabby Thomas, and Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith among other female stars will step on the track at the Icahn Stadium with the hope of making an impact and walk away with the hefty prize purse set aside as they end their seasons.
At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Moraa who had been unbeaten in the build-up to the showpiece claimed the gold medal, showing dust to Mu who was forced to finish second and Hodgkinson who completed the podium.
Mu’s title defense hopes at the Paris Olympic Games were dashed after her devastating fall at the US Olympic trials with her appeal being denied later on. The race would now become a challenge between Moraa and Hodgkinson with another star joining the chat.
The women’s 800m final saw Hodgkinson finally have her moment with Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma finishing second and Mary Moraa completing the podium. Athing Mu only raced once after her US Olympic trials setback, finishing fifth at the Holloway Pro Classic.
Hodgkinson was also forced to end her season after the Olympic Games, citing an injury while Moraa continued her season and finally won the trophy at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels. Moraa will look to end her season at Athlos, Alexis Ohanian’s women-only event in New York City scheduled for September 26.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)