NEW UPDATE-TOKYO – Kobe Bryant coined the term “Mamba Mentality.” In track and field, “Medal
Mentality” seems like more of an appropriate term. It’s a phrase Athing Mu said
she thought of at the Tokyo Olympics. Following her performance in the women’s
800 meters, she might want to get it trademarked. The 19-year-old prodigy led
for the entire race and won in 1:55.21 to set an American record. “Coming here,
I came with a medal mentality,” Mu said. “I came here wanting a medal.” Keely
Hodgkinson of Great Britain ran in 1:55.88 to place second, and American Raevyn
Rogers rounded out the top three, finishing in 1:56.81. Yet, the race was never
in doubt. On the biggest stage of her track career, Mu was cool and calm during
two laps around the track at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium – which is fitting because
that’s exactly her personality.Mu’s demeanor after winning the gold medal was
measured. The middle-distance runner expected to win the race. She even had a
barrette in her hair that she purchased from Nordstrom that displayed the words
“confident.” “I’m feeling awesome. I’m satisfied with it. I’m glad I came out
here and did what I had to do, to accomplish my goal. It was definitely a goal
of mine to be a gold medalist,” Mu said. Mu’s Olympic gold is the crowning
achievement in what was a breakout, record-setting track season for the product
of Trenton, New Jersey. She broke the collegiate 400- and 800-meter records as a
freshman at Texas A&M, turned pro at U.S. trials and won the 800 meters and
followed that up with a dominant gold-medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
The middle-distance runner’s latest achievement placed her in exclusive company.
Mu joined Madeline Manning-Mims as the only American women to win Olympic gold
in the 800 meters. Manning-Mims accomplished the feat 53 years ago at the 1968
Mexico City Olympics.“I knew it was possible, so I’m not super shook or shocked
or anything. I’m just happy I been running the same way as I been running the
whole year.”
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