"Her speed would be at the world-class level"- Bobby Kersee expects double gold from Athing Mu at Paris Olympics

Athing Mu pulled out of the upcoming Prefontaine Classic, citing a sore hamstring. With this, she has pushed her 2024 season opener for the third time. But her coach Bobby Kersee, who also trains 400m hurdles reigning champ Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone, expects two golds in the 800m and 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics from Mu.

Mu, 21, earned the 800m gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where McLaughlin-Levrone soared to the 400m hurdles victory. The former's 800m time of 1:55.21 lowered the national record set by Ajeé Wilson (2017) and ended the 53-year 800m Olympic win drought of the U.S.

Both the Kersee tutees also claimed the 4x400m relay win together. Aiming to maintain the win streak, Mu secured the 2022 World title in 800m as the first American woman to have achieved over the distance.

In the fall of 2022, Kersee's training group in Los Angeles ushered in Athing Mu, while she was building up to the US Championships, to compete in the 1500m and 800m. But the coach and tutee mainly started bonding over productive practice sessions after Mu's 2023 Eugene Diamond League win (American record).

Bobby Kersee's primary focus is to make his proteges compete in their fortes, 400m hurdles for McLaughlin-Levrone and 800m for Athing Mu. However, keeping confidence in Athing Mu, he considers her an eligible entrant for the 4x400m relay, wishing for gold in both 800m and 4x400m.

In an interview with Runner's World, Bobby Kersee opened up about his belief in Mu as a class-apart performer, and her capability to make the team.

"Her speed would be at the world-class level, so I think that she’s capable."

"I didn’t, honestly, I did not know how to coach her as I do now" - Bobby Kersee on Athing Mu

Team USA Olympic Portrait Shoot

Athing Mu was facing a dilemma before her 2023 Worlds stint, which earned her the 800m bronze.

In an interview later, Mu talked about struggling to find the confidence that steered her boat in 2023. But her win in the Eugene Diamond League bettered her sessions with mentor Kersee.

In the Runner's World interview, Kersee said:

"I did not know how to coach her as [I do] now. The period between the world championship and the Prefontaine helped me be able to coach her more, and I think she understood it and took it and then went up there and executed. And then I think that’s where we kind of got on the same page."

The 21-year-old Olympian will be in contention in the 800m final on August 5. She will look to bring victory in the 4x400m relay five days after that.