Pre W 800m : Mu / Hodkinson / Moraa / Duguma

European fans of the sport still want to see her race over here. This news suggests another Mu season in which she only leaves the US for the World champs which would be disappointing.

All I know is if she somehow falls again she will never race another day in her life (minus any current contractual obligations)

That 1500 she ran recently is going to improve her base conditioning. She will blow them away!

I hope they never come back at all.

Seriously, what makes you think she has better than about a 5% chance of making the world team?

Over the last 20 months, this is what she has done:

6/21 Trials - 2:01.73 for 3rd in heat

6/23 Trials - 1:58.84 giving everything she had to barely edge out college junior Michaela Rose and 35-yo Kate Grace in her retirement meet

6/24 Trials - 2:19.69 after falling in the final

7/19 Gainesville - 2:00.29 where she lead the whole way until she got completely gassed with 150 to go and Ewoi, Wiley, Baker, and Gearing (who had never gone sub-2 before) blew past like she was a snail

4/16 Mt Sac - jogged 3K of a 5K in 9:42 with 3 other runners in lane 2 the entire way to supposedly practice "running in a pack"

5/11 Cal State - 1500 in 4:21.18 in a field of 3 with 2nd place in 5:17 to practice "running in a pack"

At the minimum, these are the Americans who have a better chance to go to Tokyo than Mu:

Wiley

Hurta-Klecker

Akins

Wilson

Whittaker

Rose

Baker

Watson

Tobias

Paige

Keegan

Hunter

Bossong

Maclean

Hiltz

"Winningest"? Nike should fire whoever was in charge of this post

Highly exaggerated post. Mu is a far greater talent than most of these women. She just needs to be mentally ready and physically at 80% or better and it gets to a real short list of US women who can beat her. Writing her off when she appears to be healthy is a mistake.

Mu may be super talented...

... But it's very, very hard to root for someone who either doesn't really want to be there, or doesn't have the mental fortitude to always try her best. I would much rather root for someone who works her ass off, who loves the sport, who dreams of winning, who races frequently, and who is STARVING for success. I want my athletes to be HUNGRY.

Mu is barely peckish.

no clue on Mu right now, no clue if there is a trend of any kind

her first years she was consistent and doing things logically

today she's into cross country or what have you

and going into an 800 without things like speed, 400m 200m races

whatever

if she runs, maybe she gets 3rd, and that would be a fantastic opener

from there a couple a 3 short races and she's looking at 156

and take if from there???

I would happily bet you $1000 each on 15 heads -up bets of Mu v. people on your list with USA championships finish deciding it. I would expect to make $15,000, or close to it.

In all seriousness this is probably a bigger inflection point in her career than we think.

Last couple of years the weirdness/complete absenteeism I guess could be justified. "Was still young", "was injured" etc etc. This time she's at least been out on the track, albeit in these bizarre circumstances, but ticking the box of "low-pressure", "fun", "getting comfortable again racing" prerequisites she believes she needs (or what Kersee has brainwashed her into believing she needs).

On one side you have Jakob who races basically every championship he can, runs his a$$ off 7,8 times a year on the circuit and is training so hard he messes his body up. She's run 13 races in the last 2 and half years and that includes prelim rounds.

The only out now would be "injury" and if that's the case and I'm Nike she is out of that training group quicker than a hiccup because if Kersee can get McLaughlin racing 8 times in GST (albeit with the incentive of huge $$$), he sure as hell can get Mu to the start line of Prefontaine healthy. And if this was the case I would also be entertaining finding lawyer to see how I could get out of whatever contract it was I signed her to.

So let's see.

Where can I bet that all three will not be in Eugene for this race?

Maria Mutola

"Named for Pre Classic’s winningest athlete ever, Maria Mutola lit up the track every time she took the line — no doubt these athletes will do the same."

Ohhhh, you’re so funny!!!

durrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Just go back to 2022 and 2023 at this same meet. Same result. None of the others have got better or faster

Mu is the most talented middle distance runner since Jim Ryun. There's certainly a chance that she could get into top shape over the next 7 weeks.

Duguma for the win.

Come on son

$1000 Mu does not run!