Heartbreak For NJ's Mu, Rogers, Jubilation For Allie Wilson

New Jersey's Athing Mu and Jenna Rogers saw their Olympic hopes vanish in cruel and heartbreaking fashion, while Allie Wilson's dream came true when she produced a breathtaking finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Monday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. 

The biggest and most gut wrenching story of these trials so far came in the women's 800-meter final when the 22 year-old Mu, the 2021 Olympic champ and the American record holder in the event, crashed to the track about 200 meters into the race after getting her feet tangled with another runner. 

Mu, a 2020 graduate of Trenton High, got up and valiantly continued, but she was way too far back to contend for a berth on the Olympic Team that will compete in Paris in August.

The 22 year-old Mu, who reset the American record with a 1:54.97 at the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field last September, was understandably dejected and visibly upset as she crossed the line in last place in 2:19.69. 

It was a devastating blow for Mu, who battled through a hamstring injury this spring and ran her first race in nine months in the first round at the trials on Friday. Three years ago at the Olympics in Tokyo, Mu became the first U.S. woman in 53 years to strike gold in the 800, and she also earned a gold on the 4x400 relay squad. 

Will Mu be added to the Olympic team in the 4x400 relay as a discretionary selection? You never know. Stay tuned!

ROGERS SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS, NARROWLY MISSES OLYMPIC TEAM

Jenna Rogers, who graduated from Rutherford High in 2020 and now stars at the University of Nebraska, missed third-place in the women's high jump by the slimmest of margins, losing a jump-off to 13-time national champion Vashti Cunningham. Cunningham cleared 6-3.50 in the jump-off to secure the third and final spot on her third U.S. Olympic Team.

Rogers had the best performance of her life by clearing a personal best 6-3.25, the second best mark ever for a NJ woman. Deirdre Mullen, a 2000 graduate of Notre Dame High, is the NJ all-time record holder in the high jump with the 6-3.50 she made in 2008.  

It's important to note here that Rogers hasn't met the Olympic standard of 6-5.50, so even if she defeated Cunningham in the jump-off to finish third, she would have needed to hit that standard by this Sunday to make the Olympic Team.

The high jump was won by Charity Hufnagel of the University of Kentucky, who cleared a PR of 6-4.25. She will need to hit the standard to go to Paris.  

WILSON MAKES HISTORY

Allie Wilson became the first athlete ever from Monmouth University to make the U.S. Olympic track and field team when she tore down the final straight and passed two runners before charging across the line in second-place in the women's 800 in 1:58.32.

The 28 year-old Wilson, who won the 800 at the U.S. National Indoor Championship this past February, was in fifth-place at the bell after a 57.98 opening 400. Wilson, who starred at Strath Haven High in Pa. before graduating from Monmouth University in 2019, moved into fourth coming off the final turn and then picked off Stanford's Juliette Whittaker and LSU's Michaela Rose to secure the runner-up finish.      

Wilson's time of 1:58.32, just off her PR of 1:58.09, is significant because it's under the Olympic Standard, thus securing Wilson a berth on the Olympic Team. 

Wilson, sixth at the 2021 Olympic Trials in the two-lapper, gained a lot of confidence after she won her first round heat and her semifinal heat.  

"I knew I had a chance," Wilson said while interviewed on NBC. "Given the depth of the 800 talent in this country, it was not going to be a small feat to make this team. I'm so honored."

Nia Akins, the 2023 U.S. National Indoor and Outdoor champ and the sixth-place finisher at the World Outdoor Championships last year, won the 800 with a PR of 1:57.36. Whittaker was third with a PR of 1:58.45. Akins and Whittaker ran well under the Olympic standard. 

MURPH PR'S IN 1,500 FINAL

Villanova's Liam Murphy, a 2020 graduate of Allentown High, capped off a sensational week in Oregon by running a personal best of 3:36.37 to place 11th in the men's 1,500 final. Murphy's splits were 57.26, 1:56.59 (59.34), and 2:52.96 (56.37). He closed in 43.42 over the final 300.

Murphy, the first Villanovan to run in the men's 1,500 final at the Olympic Trials since 1988, is now No. 6 on Nova's all-time list with his 3:36.37.

MORE NJ RESULTS

Josette Andrews (Tenafly, Class of 2014) finished 11th in the women's 5,000 in 15:26.25, and Katie Wasserman (Spotswood High, Class of 2016) finished 14th in 15:44.56. Andrews was also entered in the 1,500, which is scheduled to begin with the first round on Thursday, but she has scratched.