Mu Wins The Bowerman

(Source: Kate Luffman)

By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications

ORLANDO, Fla. – Texas A&M’s Athing Mu was named the female winner of The Bowerman, which is awarded annually to the nation’s most outstanding male and female NCAA track & field athletes, by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Friday at the organization’s annual convention at the Grande Lakes Resort.

“I’m thankful for every experience, every meet I’ve ran in and every person that has come into my life the past two years,” Mu said. “God has played a huge role in every single thing that has happened. I’m so blessed for it to happen to me. I’m thankful for my family and friends making me happy when I feel like I’m not. Coach [Pat] Henry for giving me so many opportunities. A lot of athletes didn’t have as smooth of a transition as I have had. I’m blessed.”

Mu turned in one of the all-time best individual seasons as she rewrote the collegiate track & field record books in 2021. As a freshman, she set 11 collegiate all-time top-12 marks, including six all-time collegiate records. Individually she owns the indoor 600m (1:25.80), indoor 800m (1:58.40), outdoor 400m (49.57) and outdoor 800m (1:57.73) collegiate records. She anchored two collegiate record relays, the indoor 4x400m (3:26.27/50.27 split) and the outdoor 4x400m (3:22.34/48.85 split). Mu ended the season with eight Texas A&M records.

Most notably, her indoor 800m season best stands as an under-20 world record and her outdoor 400m season best is an under-20 American record.

She finished the campaign as a three-time NCAA champion, winning the 400m title, as well as a member of the 4x400m relay that claimed the indoor and outdoor titles. Additionally, she earned four First Team All-America honors. Mu’s championship anchor leg indoor 400m sprint is marked as the fastest indoor split in world history at 49.54. She combined to score 23 points in NCAA Championships action.

The speedster claimed the SEC indoor 800m title (1:58.40), outdoor 400m (49.84) and 4x400m (3:26.17) titles.

Following the collegiate season, Mu turned professional, and made her debut at the U.S. Olympic Trials winning the 800m with a personal best time of 1:56.07. The 19-year-old made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo games becoming the first American female to win the 800m in 53 years at an American record time of 1:55.21. She became the first Aggie, male or female, to win gold in an individual track discipline. A few days later, she anchored the 4x400m to Olympic gold to become the first track & field Olympian in 33 years to win two gold medals before turning 20-years-old.

Since the inauguration of the award in 2009, Mu is the third Aggie to win and second female. Deon Lendore won the men’s award in 2014 and Jessica Beard won the women’s award in 2011.

Mu won The Bowerman over fellow Aggie Tyra Gittens and Tara Davis of Texas.

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