News07 Dec 2021


Mu and Wilson set to clash over 800m at Millrose Games

FacebookTwitterEmail

Athing Mu in New York (© Kirby Lee)

Organisers of the Millrose Games have announced that Olympic champion Athing Mu will take on world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson in the 800m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting on 29 January.

Aged just 19, Mu has this year established herself as the best 800m runner in the world and was undefeated at the distance indoors and outdoors. She won Olympic gold in Tokyo, breaking Wilson’s US 800m record, and then earned a second gold medal in the 4x400m. She went on to lower the US 800m record to 1:55.04 when winning at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene.

“Millrose is the ideal place to begin my season,” said Mu, who last week was named by World Athletics as the 2021 Female Rising Star. “The audience brings great energy and I always look forward to the atmosphere and competing at The Armory – It's iconic.”

Wilson, a six-time Millrose Games champion, has not lost at this meeting since 2013. Wilson broke her own US indoor record at the 2020 Millrose Games, clocking 1:58.29.

“It's been a while,” Wilson said, referring to last season’s cancelled Millrose Games due to the pandemic. “I'm super excited to return to The Armory for the Millrose Games.”

World and Olympic finalist Natoya Goule-Toppin, the Jamaican record-holder indoors and outdoors, will join Mu and Wilson in the 800m at the Millrose Games.

These 800m stars are the latest big names to be announced for the Millrose Games, following the recent confirmations of Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, world shot put champion Joe Kovacs and US 1500m champions Elle Purrier St Pierre and Cole Hocker.

Organisers for World Athletics