Athing Mu breaks the world U20 indoor 800m record in Fayetteville (© Errol Anderson)
Women’s world U20 indoor 800m record
1:58.40 Athing Mu (USA) Fayetteville 27 February 2021
Athing Mu’s world U20 indoor 800m record of 1:58.40, set at the SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on 27 February, has been ratified.
The 18-year-old produced a stunning solo run over four laps of the Randal Tyson Track Center, going through 200m in 28.65 and 400m in 57.96. By the time she reached 600m in 1:27.60, she had a three-and-a-half second lead over the rest of the field. A final lap of 30.81 brought her home in 1:58.40.
Just one month prior, Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson had bettered the world U20 indoor record (yet to be ratified) with 1:59.03 in Vienna on 30 January. Before this year, the ratified world U20 record stood to Ethiopia’s Meskerem Legesse with her 2:01.03 clocking in Fayetteville on 14 February 2004.
“She might be the greatest freshman athlete in any sport ever at Texas A&M and maybe the greatest collegiate freshman athlete in the sport of track & field,” said Mu’s coach, Pat Henry. “I’ve never seen a freshman accomplish the things that she has achieved and we're not even done with the season.”
Earlier in the indoor season, Mu clocked a 400m PB of 50.52. In recent weeks, she has recorded North American U20 records of 1:57.73 for 800m and 49.84 for 400m.
World Athletics
