i find it hard to believe kersee would allow one of his athletes to completely F off during an entire year of training.
i guess maybe he could have been giving her one year to find herself. but how long would he allow her taint his image, if the problem is actually that she isn't doing anything?
i find it hard to believe kersee would allow one of his athletes to completely F off during an entire year of training.
i guess maybe he could have been giving her one year to find herself. but how long would he allow her taint his image, if the problem is actually that she isn't doing anything?
Athing isn’t going to taint his image unless you think trying to turn her into an 800/1500 is his fault.
She also was injured during her time with him, not really f-ing off per se.
Maybe she is right now, but she wasn't training hard for the 2025 outdoor season.
I know that because she opened her season with a 2:03 at Pre and barely broke 2:00 at USATFs, which is just unthinkable for a 23yo with a 1:54 PR. Mu's talented enough to run 1:58 off dumb suboptimal 1500 workouts, running that slow means she's not training seriously at all.
....
Could very well be the case. Pamela Jelimo erupted on the scene her first year by winning Olympic 800m GOLD and running 1:54.03 or thereabout. She became difficult to coach and didn't train as hard via several reports. Pamela faded to same performances as Athing but Pamela made a few attempts at a comeback and did quite well,beginning a couple 🥈 🥉 medals at indoor and outdoors Championships meets.
So there is still a possibility for Athing. I do think she needs a new coach, just to give her a fresh start and for her to br her coach's biggest star and top priority❗
Maybe she is right now, but she wasn't training hard for the 2025 outdoor season.
I know that because she opened her season with a 2:03 at Pre and barely broke 2:00 at USATFs, which is just unthinkable for a 23yo with a 1:54 PR. Mu's talented enough to run 1:58 off dumb suboptimal 1500 workouts, running that slow means she's not training seriously at all.
But that could equally be other things: carrying a minor injury/missing some training; her (ridiculous) over distance training was such that she simply lost her speed; she was competing during a heavy training cycle.
To assume it's simply that she 'wasn't trying hard enough' is the least likely answer, IMO.
And let's be specific where we can: she doesn't have a '1:54 PR'. She has a 1:54.97 PR, which is basically 1:55 flat. Why do I say this? Not to be pedantic, but because, for example, Ana Quirot ran a 1:54.4 PB in 1989, then for the next two seasons she was running 3 seconds slower at 1:57.4, and she wasn't injured. Sigrun Wodars had a 1:55.26 PB, also from 89, and ran 1:55.87 in 1990, only to drop to 2:00.59 the next season (nearly 5 seconds difference) when carrying a minor injury. Kratochvilova dropped 4.4 seconds between 83 & 84, not injured. I use those examples as I mentioned them earlier, but look at someone like Jemma Reekie who dropped 3 seconds between last season and this.
Mu has dropped 5 seconds over two seasons. The big drop was 4 seconds between '23 & '24. She ran just two meets in '24, and nothing before the US Trials. Was she injured? Was Kersee restricting her racing schedule (he let SML race)? Clearly there was the possibility she could have run faster than her 1:58.84 SF & Qualified for Paris had she stayed on her feet in the final.
I think, psychologically, that fall had a huge impact on her, mentally. Then Kersee had this wild idea of making her run intentionally slowly paced 1500s & a 5k, and, well, she's done. But even so, she still ran 1:59.7 which I actually think is impressive after opening with a 2:03.4 a month earlier.
There's no doubt the ability is there. But if she isn't motivated, it's no wonder after she's been given such a ridiculous training & racing schedule. If she can switch coaches, get back to 400s & 800s, I've no doubt she can get back to 1:55+
Maybe she is right now, but she wasn't training hard for the 2025 outdoor season.
I know that because she opened her season with a 2:03 at Pre and barely broke 2:00 at USATFs, which is just unthinkable for a 23yo with a 1:54 PR. Mu's talented enough to run 1:58 off dumb suboptimal 1500 workouts, running that slow means she's not training seriously at all.
But that could equally be other things: carrying a minor injury/missing some training; her (ridiculous) over distance training was such that she simply lost her speed; she was competing during a heavy training cycle.
To assume it's simply that she 'wasn't trying hard enough' is the least likely answer, IMO.
And let's be specific where we can: she doesn't have a '1:54 PR'. She has a 1:54.97 PR, which is basically 1:55 flat. Why do I say this? Not to be pedantic, but because, for example, Ana Quirot ran a 1:54.4 PB in 1989, then for the next two seasons she was running 3 seconds slower at 1:57.4, and she wasn't injured. Sigrun Wodars had a 1:55.26 PB, also from 89, and ran 1:55.87 in 1990, only to drop to 2:00.59 the next season (nearly 5 seconds difference) when carrying a minor injury. Kratochvilova dropped 4.4 seconds between 83 & 84, not injured. I use those examples as I mentioned them earlier, but look at someone like Jemma Reekie who dropped 3 seconds between last season and this.
Mu has dropped 5 seconds over two seasons. The big drop was 4 seconds between '23 & '24. She ran just two meets in '24, and nothing before the US Trials. Was she injured? Was Kersee restricting her racing schedule (he let SML race)? Clearly there was the possibility she could have run faster than her 1:58.84 SF & Qualified for Paris had she stayed on her feet in the final.
I think, psychologically, that fall had a huge impact on her, mentally. Then Kersee had this wild idea of making her run intentionally slowly paced 1500s & a 5k, and, well, she's done. But even so, she still ran 1:59.7 which I actually think is impressive after opening with a 2:03.4 a month earlier.
There's no doubt the ability is there. But if she isn't motivated, it's no wonder after she's been given such a ridiculous training & racing schedule. If she can switch coaches, get back to 400s & 800s, I've no doubt she can get back to 1:55+
The race results say he’s 40, unless he was trying to age group cheat.
Count on LetsRun to uncover a scandal!!
No scandal, just a mistaken identity. The thinking that he's 36 came from a Pulse Sports article published in March of this year reporting that Athing's husband is the Yegor Nikolayev who competed in the 1500m at the 2012 Olympics. That Yegor was 36 at the time the article was published (he's now 37). However, that Yegor Nikolayev isn't Athing's husband. She married another man with that name, who is apparently 40.
No scandal, just a mistaken identity. The thinking that he's 36 came from a Pulse Sports article published in March of this year reporting that Athing's husband is the Yegor Nikolayev who competed in the 1500m at the 2012 Olympics. That Yegor was 36 at the time the article was published (he's now 37). However, that Yegor Nikolayev isn't Athing's husband. She married another man with that name, who is apparently 40.
Yeah at first everyone thought she married the Russian runner. She snagged a finance bro instead. Pulse Sports isn’t a real media outlet. Ofc neither is this one.
This is why I rarely read the forum because people have no filter and behaving extremely poor taste, hiding behind the Internet. Let this post be an example for all of this to reflect that we were talking about real people. your writing, “taking things to the extreme”, Is irresponsible, offensive, and vulgar.
We’re talking about a real person and you’re also bringing up a very sensitive subject that represents one of the most disturbing crisis of modern society, as self-inflicted demise ranks highly on the list of morbidity factors for young people.
you should seriously go back in your shell. And joining you in the penalty box are all the commenters who reflexively referenc doping for any athlete who makes a performance breakthrough. Or reflexively label people like Shelby Houlihan, “cheater“ without studying the details of her case, and the ridiculous imperfections and nuances of the anti-doping movement.
as Dean Wormer reminded us in animal house, “fat drunk and stupid is no way to go through life”
But that could equally be other things: carrying a minor injury/missing some training; her (ridiculous) over distance training was such that she simply lost her speed; she was competing during a heavy training cycle.
To assume it's simply that she 'wasn't trying hard enough' is the least likely answer, IMO.
And let's be specific where we can: she doesn't have a '1:54 PR'. She has a 1:54.97 PR, which is basically 1:55 flat. Why do I say this? Not to be pedantic, but because, for example, Ana Quirot ran a 1:54.4 PB in 1989, then for the next two seasons she was running 3 seconds slower at 1:57.4, and she wasn't injured. Sigrun Wodars had a 1:55.26 PB, also from 89, and ran 1:55.87 in 1990, only to drop to 2:00.59 the next season (nearly 5 seconds difference) when carrying a minor injury. Kratochvilova dropped 4.4 seconds between 83 & 84, not injured. I use those examples as I mentioned them earlier, but look at someone like Jemma Reekie who dropped 3 seconds between last season and this.
Mu has dropped 5 seconds over two seasons. The big drop was 4 seconds between '23 & '24. She ran just two meets in '24, and nothing before the US Trials. Was she injured? Was Kersee restricting her racing schedule (he let SML race)? Clearly there was the possibility she could have run faster than her 1:58.84 SF & Qualified for Paris had she stayed on her feet in the final.
I think, psychologically, that fall had a huge impact on her, mentally. Then Kersee had this wild idea of making her run intentionally slowly paced 1500s & a 5k, and, well, she's done. But even so, she still ran 1:59.7 which I actually think is impressive after opening with a 2:03.4 a month earlier.
There's no doubt the ability is there. But if she isn't motivated, it's no wonder after she's been given such a ridiculous training & racing schedule. If she can switch coaches, get back to 400s & 800s, I've no doubt she can get back to 1:55+
This is why I rarely read the forum because people have no filter and behaving extremely poor taste, hiding behind the Internet. Let this post be an example for all of this to reflect that we were talking about real people. your writing, “taking things to the extreme”, Is irresponsible, offensive, and vulgar.
We’re talking about a real person and you’re also bringing up a very sensitive subject that represents one of the most disturbing crisis of modern society, as self-inflicted demise ranks highly on the list of morbidity factors for young people.
you should seriously go back in your shell. And joining you in the penalty box are all the commenters who reflexively referenc doping for any athlete who makes a performance breakthrough. Or reflexively label people like Shelby Houlihan, “cheater“ without studying the details of her case, and the ridiculous imperfections and nuances of the anti-doping movement.
as Dean Wormer reminded us in animal house, “fat drunk and stupid is no way to go through life”
You had me until you mentioned Shelby.
I tend to believe Athing is clean. But then you have someone like Erriyon who was deemed a generational talent busted. Still think Athing is the most talented athlete in recent U.S. history and just either lost the love for the sport, wanted to move on or had some other challenges.
So does this mean she’s retired? Changing coaches? Is there any pro group out there in Dallas? The Hurdle Mechanic group was based in Fort Worth for a bit, but then they moved to Arkansas.
Also, while this site’s writers are trying to uncover what’s going on with Athing moving to Dallas and leaving Kersee, can you also find out what happened to the Formula Kersee group that is now down to one athlete, Sydney, in just two years? You’re telling me that Keni Harrison, Prandini, Brandon Miller, and Mu all left the group and it’s just… *crickets*?
Also, I know SML has a lot of resources, to the point she can hire a male 400m runner to simply pace her in practice all day long, but doesn’t it get exhausting training alone? So strange how she manages it.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.