Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's training partner Athing Mu makes her feelings known after finishing last at Prefontaine Classic

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's training partner, Athing Mu, gets honest after a disappointing performance at the 50th Prefontaine Classic on Saturday. Competing in the 800m race, Mu finished last after clocking 2:03.44.

This was Mu's first Diamond League and 800m race of the season, and the results were not in her ballpark for the former 800m Olympic champion as Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma clinched victory in the race. She highlighted this lack of 800m experience in this season after her last-place finish.

In an interview, Mu shared that it was unfortunate for her to come to this meet without running any prior 800m as the events she was looking forward to were cancelled. The 2021 and 2023 Prefontaine Classic 800m winner said, via Citius Mag:

"I was definitely hoping for the win, I was definitely hoping to run fast. I think it definitely suc*s not being able to have run a couple of 800's before this. Working out of practice is really great but when it comes to competition, it takes a little bit more.

"I knew that coming in but unfortunately a lot of the meets in the US were cancelled, especially the ones that we were hoping to run in. I am glad I made it through the race."

McLaughlin-Levrone's training partner in Bobby Kersee's camp, Athing Mu's last 800m race was over a year ago at the 2024 Holloway Pro Classic, where she was placed 5th. So far in the season, Mu has run long-distance events, a 5000m event where she couldn't finish the race, and two 1500m races in which she clinched podium finishes.

Athing Mu comments on running the long-distance events at the start of the season

Athing Mu (Image via: Getty)

Athing Mu commented on running the long-distance events at the start of the 2025 season. Before this season, Mu's last 1500m race was at the 2023 US Championships, where she secured a 2nd-place finish.

In an interview before the 2025 Prefontaine Classic, Mu shared that she has competed around the 1500m track in her youth years, and due to her versatility, she can compete in several distances, such as the 400m and 1500m outside of her regular event. She said, via runnerspace:

"I think year to year we are trying to build and get stronger. Even as a high school athlete, I have done so many miles and I have always been around 1500's. I am a very diverse athlete, so I can run 400's, 800's, and 1500's."

During the conversation, Athing Mu also remarked that her coach Bobby Kersee has been working with her a lot to get better in her regular 800m event.