Tokyo Olympic women's 800m champion Attingmu's dream of winning the title was shattered on the first lap of the 800m final at the US Olympic Trials on Monday. In the first 200 meters, Attingmu ran in the middle of the team and collided with other runners, leaving her alone to fall to the ground.
Attingmu dominated the 800m, partly because of her large stride, which was why she lost the race, despite being the favourite. Atingmu was huddled with a crowd of competitors on the outside and was about to turn left to overtake Juliette Whitaker when she tripped and three competitors jumped over her. While Atin Mu got back to his feet and finished the race, he was as many as 22 seconds behind champion Nia Akins, who finished first with a time of 1:57.36.
The 22-year-old left the track with tears in her eyes after the race, and she did not immediately come to the media area for an interview. The Olympic Trials was Attingmu's first tournament of the season, and she has struggled with injuries all season. She was in good form in the first two rounds, but was eliminated in the first 200 meters of the final.
The U.S. track and field trials are so brutal, with only the top three athletes making the Olympic team, and past results have no reference value. However, Attingmu can still travel to Paris, where she is part of the American relay team; Three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, she was a key figure in the U.S. gold medal in the 4x400m relay.
Attingmu is also a supertalent for the U.S. track and field team. Before the age of 21, she won a world championship and an Olympic title. According to Sports Illustrated, Attingmu is one of America's best middle-distance runners, the first American to win gold in the women's 800m at Tokyo 1968 when Madeline Manning won the gold medal in the event. After winning only a bronze medal at the World Championships last year, she admits she needs to take a break to get rid of the pressure and demands that come with her honours.
"Of course, I'm not really happy to be running there to win the title," she told The Guardian when asked about the 2023 season. Now, Attingmu is confirmed to miss out on the women's 800m event at London 2024.