A star-studded field has been assembled for the Olympic Development women’s 600m Elite race at the 2022 Penn Relays on Saturday, 30 April with Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu leading the way.
The world-class lineup also includes World Indoor 800m champion Ajee’ Wilson of USA and Jamaica’s Tokyo Olympic finalist Natoya Goule.
Although she’s specialised in the 800m, Mu’s all-round talent makes her tough to beat as she’s also been dominant in the 400m and 600m events.
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The American 800 record holder with a time of 1:55.04, owns a personal best time of 1:24.13 for the 600m, which is ranked No. 4 on the all-time list behind the 1:21.77 world best by South African Caster Semenya, set in 2017.
The outdoor PB in 600m for Mu came this past March when she clocked her time at a meeting in Arizona. It is the fastest performance in the world this season.
Will she break the world record this weekend?
We will have to wait and see, but if she is pushed, we could see something special this weekend.
Meanwhile, the 19-year-old is expected to be pushed by her compatriot two-time world bronze medalist Ajeé Wilson, who sits at No. 2 all-time in the event. The two-time Olympian is coming off a fruitful indoor campaign where she won the gold medal in the 800m to secure her very first global championship title.
Wilson’s lone appearance in the 600m this season was a 1:25.59 clocking during the indoor term in February, but the experienced American has an impressive lifetime best of 1:22.39, set in Belin, Germany in 2017.
The 27-year-old has run once since winning the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships 800m gold medal in Serbia, so she’ll be buzzing to continue her preparations for the second part of her season ahead of the U.S. Championships.
Jamaica’s 800m national record holder Natoya Goule will also feature in the women’s 600m race at the 2022 Penn Relays.
The Olympic 800m finalist and 2019 Pan American Games 800m champion will be looking to get close to the 1:25.35 she ran in 2017 during the winter season when she toes the starting line this weekend.
Also down to feature in the event at Franklin Field on Saturday are Jamaica’s 2019 NCAA 800m champion Jazmine Fray, Penn alumni Nia Akins, as well as teenage high school star Sophia Gorriaran.
Women’s 600m Penn Relays Elite Field
Presented by Toyota
START LIST
1 USA Sophia Gorriaran
2 District TC – Under Armour | JAM Jazmine Fray
3 Atlanta TC – Adidas | USA Sadi Henderson
4 Adidas | JAM Natoya Goule
5 Adidas | USA Ajee’ Wilson
6 Nike | USA Athing Mu
7 Brooks Beast | USA Nia Akins
8 Atlanta TC – Adidas | USA Olivia Baker
