Athing Mu Wins NB Nationals 800m in Showdown Between NJ Sophomore Stars

MU WINS NEW BALANCE NATIONAL 800 IN SHOWDOWN BETWEEN N.J. SOPHOMORE STARS

In one of the most eagerly awaited showdowns of the season between a pair of New Jersey sophomore stars, Athing Mu of the Trenton Track Club ran a US#1 and personal best 2:06.59 to capture the girls 800-meter title on Sunday at the New Balance National Indoor Championships.

Sophomore Victoria Vanriele of Governor Livingston High School finished third with an indoor PR of 2:08.31. Nikki Merrill of Portsmouth in Rhode Island was second with a PR of 2:07.27.

Mu also won the Emerging Elite 400 on Friday at the New Balance Nationals in a meet record 54.98, which is NJ #1 and US #15 this season.  

Mu's 2:06.59 is a state sophomore record and No. 3 in N.J. state indoor history, and Vanriele's 2:08.31 is No. 5 all-time on the N.J. indoor list. The N.J. state indoor record of 2:04.12 was set by Ajee' Wilson of Neptune at the 2012 Millrose Games. Joetta Clark of Columbia is No. 2 all-time with the 2:06.00 she ran in 1980.

It was the first match-up of the season between Mu, who doesn't compete for her high school (Trenton), and Vanriele, who has won the last three N.J. Meet of Champions titles in the 800 (two indoors/one outdoors).

The last time the two met was last June when Mu was second (2:07.70) behind national 800 indoor record holder Sammy Watson (2:05.70), and Vanriele was fourth in 2:08.23 in the 800 at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Championships.   

Girls Championship 800 Meter Results

  1 Mu, Athing                20 Trenton, NJ            2:06.59   3
  2 Merrill, Nikki            19 Portsmouth, RI         2:07.27   3
  3 Vanriele, Victoria        20 Berkeley Heights, N    2:08.31   3
  4 Seeland, Esther           18 State College, PA      2:08.41   3
  5 Friborg, Samantha         18 Acton, MA              2:08.76   3
  6 Rose, Michaela            21 Suffolk, VA            2:09.73   1
  7 Philippides, Emily        18 Greenwich, CT          2:09.82   3
  8 Sessions, Jade            18 Carmel, NY             2:11.45   1
  9 Mitchell, Kate            18 Lynnfield, MA          2:11.60   1
 10 McNeil, Nyjari            18 Reisterstown, MD       2:11.80   2
 11 Sumner, Brynne            19 Woodstock, GA          2:11.96   1
 12 Worrel, Megan             18 Troy, MI               2:12.10   3
 13 Sabbakhan, Alahna         19 Washington, DC         2:12.96   2
 14 Salek, Maddie             18 Oakdale, PA            2:13.55   2
 15 Helder, Melanie           18 Hudsonville, MI        2:14.00   1
 16 Coney, Margaret           20 Grand Rapids, MI       2:14.96   1
 17 Steely, Sydney            18 Hoover, AL             2:15.05   1
 18 Lewin, Maureen            19 Rockville Centre, N    2:15.59   3
 19 Hock, Maggie              19 Exeter, NH             2:15.91   2
 20 Giesing, Izzy             18 Bradford, VT           2:17.22   1
 21 Kokernak, Amelia          18 Niskayuna, NY          2:18.24   2
 22 Davi, Ryan                21 Bernardsville, NJ      2:19.16   2
 23 Dotson, Victoria          20 Boradhead, KY          2:27.22   2