The only real surprise when the U.S. track and field squad for the Paris Olympics was announced on Tuesday was who wasn’t on the list: Athing Mu.
Although the middle-distance runner failed to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials to defend her 800m title from the Tokyo Games, she was considered for a spot in the relay pool. Instead, one of the biggest names in track will sit out for Paris 2024, which begins later this month.
after newsletter promotion
As expected, Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone are part of a U.S. track and field team that features more than 100 athletes. The U.S. team includes four reigning Olympic champions: Ryan Crouser (shot put), McLaughlin-Levrone (400m hurdles), Katie Moon (pole vault) and Valarie Allman (discus).
Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old high school senior from Maryland who posted blazing fast times and finished sixth in the 400 meters during qualifying events, and sprinter Christian Coleman are competing in the relay.
Mu missed a chance to make the team in the 800m when she got tangled up and fell on the track in the final of the U.S. Olympic Trials two weeks ago. She finished last in the race. Mu was a key member of the team’s gold-medal 4x400m relay at the Tokyo Olympics.
Lyles will be the man to watch in the 100m and 200m. He won both events at the world championships in Budapest last summer and helped the U.S. win the 4×100 title. Kenny Bednarek will also compete in both sprint events.
It will be the Olympic debut for Richardson, the reigning 100m world champion. She missed the Tokyo Games after testing positive for marijuana. Richardson will be the sprinter to beat in Paris.
Karissa Schweizer and Grant Fisher both earned spots in the 5000m and 10000m. There was some shuffling after the trials, with Elle St Pierre opting to focus on the 1500m and skipping the 5000m. The spot went to Parker Valby, but the University of Florida runner decided to focus solely on the 10000m. That led to Whittni Morgan being given the 5000m spot after finishing fifth at the trials. Morgan has made a quick recovery after undergoing a patellar tendon debridement procedure in November.