Athing Mu, the reigning women's Olympic 800 meters champion, will not defend her title at the upcoming Paris Games after a dramatic fall during the US trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Monday. The 22-year-old, a standout at the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Games, fell around the 200-meter mark in the final at Hayward Field. Despite crossing the finish line in tears, Mu could not recover the lost ground from her tumble.

Mu, also a member of the USA's gold-winning 4x400m relay team in Tokyo, faced the harsh reality of the highly competitive US Olympic track and field trials, where only the top three finishers qualify for the Olympic team. Performances from the rest of the season do not influence selection.

Having not raced all season while recovering from injury, Mu seemed poised to secure her Olympic spot after appearing comfortable in the early rounds. However, the 800m trio for Paris will now be led by Nia Akins, who won in 1:57.36, with Allie Wilson second and Juliette Whittaker third.

In other events, Quincy Hall won the men's 400m in 44.17 seconds, narrowly beating Michael Norman, who finished second in 44.41 seconds. Chris Bailey took third place with a time of 44.42 seconds. Sixteen-year-old Quincy Wilson, finishing sixth, may still join the Olympic team as part of the 4x400m relay squad.

Additionally, world 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway demonstrated his readiness for Olympic gold by running a world-leading 12.92 seconds in his first heat.