Athing Mu OUT of Millrose

Maybe, but why would you assume that if her PB was slower than the previous year?

Last year Athing Mu had Covid twice, got injured, plus she had a medical condition of some sort that she was dealing with. I think that last year was the worst possible version of Athing Mu. Whatever she does this year has got to be better than last year.

Well per threat title it seems like she's still dealing with something

Bingo

Not a very impressive streak once you realize she races maybe two times a year. Had she competed in the Diamond League she would have lost to Keely 50% of the time.

And yeah, this looks like ducking Ajee. Sad!

Oh..I know..its a shame kind of..it is a season to be competed..I kind of like Indoor, but I am a NE guys..always been kind of big here. Some runners have gotten way too big for their britches, won't race anyone good at "In the middle " distances..yet guys from 800 up will get in there now and then for sure.

Maybe she's smokin with Sha'carri

Aren’t professional runners paid to race?

Generally no, unless they get an appearance fee. Most runners get most of their money from their sponsors.

Interesting and made me think about when Mu posted something on her Instagram after she won the 800 in the Olympics in 2021 about going through a difficult time in 2019 and 2020 and even thinking about walking away from the sport. That is kind of haunting to think about given this latest development. She has accomplished more at 20 years of age than most ever will and appears to have successfully navigated dealing with all the challenges and pressure along the way, but it can eventually take its toll. As the saying goes, heavy is the head that wears the crown. Hopefully all is ok.

Isn’t it her job to race? What the hell is she doing? This is just embarrassing for the sport. No wonder these races are struggling to draw crowds. Big name athletics don’t consistently run and storylines aren’t ever built.

I really hope Athing Mu fails this outdoor season. It will teach her a hard lesson.

Mu should do what Hodgkinson did and run some podunk, you vs. the clock only affair. Keely could have raced some big races, but got NIKE money and just showed up at home to run fast. I don't blame Mu, since Hodgkinson ain't racing why line up.

As a runner and coach, I get the idea of picking your races.

But this is why superstars like Athing Mu and Sydney will be earning some millions rather than TENS of MILLIONS.

They might not owe the fans anything. But they could help move the sport into (1) Relevance and (2) Competitive earnings

Its so lame. If you are injured then I don't get why they won't just say that. If not, then this just looks like she is scared to get beat. There is no reason that a 600m race that you signed up for would prevent you from being at your best during the outdoor season.

Wow, she wants to be at her optimum for outdoor, especially for the world championships. What a shock!

Agree (but not with the Mu failing part). The NBA has load management rules because they understand the importance of having stars play in a star-driven sport, especially for nationally televised games. And those guys have 82 games on the schedule, not counting another 20-25 more for teams with deep playoff runs.

T&F struggles to fill a small venue for the biggest events of the year. It's a minor sport that only attracts a general audience every four years. I think the top athletes do have an obligation to help build interest in the sport, even if it’s not part of their contract. And the best way to do that is by competing.

Obviously, Mu should not run if she is injured or has health issues but that was not stated. Are we really to believe that running a 600 in early February will hinder her in gearing up for the upcoming WCs in August?

1. Why Athing Mu gets so much hate for not racing as much as people like you want here to I will never understand. You want the best American 800m runner in like...ever... to fail? You want someone who is consistently kind and gracious to learn a hard lesson for not "doing her job" the way you want her to?

2. She's a 20 year old who has won Olympic gold, defended at WC, and has her sights set on the next WC to defend yet again. That sure sounds like "doing her job". Furthermore, can you imagine the kind of pressure that must put on an athlete mentally, at that age, with so many eyes on you, and so many people wanting to critique your every move? Not everyone is going to handle that the same way. If this is how she stays ready to train and compete, why wish her ill?

3. There is absolutely nothing wrong with only racing when you feel prepared. If anything, it can give confidence in training and competition. The mental drain of competing at that level with that much pressure has to be massive. I'd rather see her stay healthy mentally and physically now and race well when it matters than see a "storyline" of her beating everyone yet again in an inconsequential race that isn't even her real distance.

4. Track is not a team sport. The athletes have ZERO obligation to anyone but themselves (and their sponsors). Plus, it's probably fair to argue that not racing much does more to draw interest to the sport when you have as much status as Athing. It becomes a special event.

Agree. For US track fans, the non-championship meets for the stars to show up at for the fans are NB indoor Grand Prix, Millrose, NYC and LA. Going to fewer than 2 of those is pretty lame unless you are competing overseas a lot/at a lot of the smaller domestic meets. Mu should be more transparent because nobody’s buying that you can’t make one appearance and also run well at Worlds. Unfortunately it seems to me there’s an unwillingness to run at less at her best and potentially lose.

maybe she just doesn't like burrr eeet oooohs... we should ALL be okay with that