Mu doesn’t have to say anything to the fans/media, but her silence about why she’s considering skipping worlds invites a lot of speculation, some of it negative. She’s hinted at both the enormous pressure she feels, and also hinted at a lack of motivation and interest. Maybe it is both, or something altogether different? Also, simply floating this idea of skipping the meet through your coach is not ideal. “On a plane to Budapest or on a plane to vacation,” sounds very flippant and dismissive to me. We assume Kersee is speaking for her, but is he? Mu is a superstar in the sport and the reigning world and Olympic champion, and worlds is a major event, second only to the Olympics and she’s representing her country and not just herself, so whether or not she races is important and deserves an explanation. We should at the least expect this from her or her team. Maybe that’s all to come, but why invite all this speculation in advance if it’s not a done deal? Is Kersee simply trolling the entire T&F world?
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.
It actually sounds to me as if she is going to Budapest and that Kersee just wants attention. Maybe this is his way of generating what he thinks is suspense.
My first reaction is that whatever is actually going on, this is incredibly unprofessional and disrespectful to the sport and her rivals. But who knows, maybe they are just trying to mess with everyone else's minds.
But how? If I’m in a competition I don't change my training or mindset depending on who's entered (maybe tennis or something if you know the chick can't hit a backhand).
Bike racers used to (still?) do this to get really solid blocks of the Junk in.
Seems pretty obvious that Kersee's experiment with running Mu in the 1500 has backfired and Mu is not ready to compete in the 800. Kersee is just spinning it into some personal issue for Mu as to whether she goes to worlds, but that is ridiculous. No athlete in the world who is ready to compete at a world championship would decide to just skip it and train through it.
I disagree with your last sentence but otherwise agree she is worried about losing to Hodgkinson or Moraa. Both of them have to be licking with their chops with this news, whether Mu ends up racing Worlds or not. I'm sure they'd rather race her and beat her than face an easier path to the title, and I'm sure both are pretty confident in their chances against her.
Used to be a big fan of hers but no more. Sick of this crap. Will NEVER cheer for her again in fact will pull for every other 800m in the world except her.
I'm glad LRC's story included the comparisons to Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, for better or worse. Clearly Mu is terrified of losing, and anytime she races, she has nothing to gain and everything to lose. This is sad because we all know even the best lose sometimes, and it's inspiring to seem them lose with dignity, then pick themselves up and win again and again. To a lot of fans, given what Mu has already accomplished, the next best thing is to become the undisputed GOAT, rising to the occasion time and time again (with some failures mixed in). This clearly either does not interest Mu, or else she is simply too scared of the chances/likelihood of eventual failure.
Mu doesn’t have to say anything to the fans/media, but her silence about why she’s considering skipping worlds invites a lot of speculation, some of it negative. She’s hinted at both the enormous pressure she feels, and also hinted at a lack of motivation and interest. Maybe it is both, or something altogether different? Also, simply floating this idea of skipping the meet through your coach is not ideal. “On a plane to Budapest or on a plane to vacation,” sounds very flippant and dismissive to me. We assume Kersee is speaking for her, but is he? Mu is a superstar in the sport and the reigning world and Olympic champion, and worlds is a major event, second only to the Olympics and she’s representing her country and not just herself, so whether or not she races is important and deserves an explanation. We should at the least expect this from her or her team. Maybe that’s all to come, but why invite all this speculation in advance if it’s not a done deal? Is Kersee simply trolling the entire T&F world?
His actual words in the L.A. Times were the other way around:
"the next time she gets on the plane it’ll either be on vacation or to Budapest."
I would be very surprised if she goes to Budapest now.
Several pages ago a poster stated possibly pregnant. Not saying that is or isn't correct but a pregnancy is as believable or more believable than most theories stated on this thread.
Several pages ago a poster stated possibly pregnant. Not saying that is or isn't correct but a pregnancy is as believable or more believable than most theories stated on this thread.
she very clearly spelled out in an earlier interview that pressure bothers her. She didn't beat around the bush.
Several pages ago a poster stated possibly pregnant. Not saying that is or isn't correct but a pregnancy is as believable or more believable than most theories stated on this thread.
she very clearly spelled out in an earlier interview that pressure bothers her. She didn't beat around the bush.
Does pressure indicate one is not pregnant? Eight-hundred meters is not like pitching a baseball, ballet, gymnastics, etc. Race first 200m (3 to 5) seconds slower than 200m p.b. and resist slowing down. Time will tell. Thirteen pages and no one has any evidence of anything.
Several pages ago a poster stated possibly pregnant. Not saying that is or isn't correct but a pregnancy is as believable or more believable than most theories stated on this thread.
With all due respect, that theory is simply insane. I’d believe the doping theory before that, and I don’t believe the doping theory.
Athing Mu is healthy and training right now but will not run the 400 as scheduled at the Ed Murphey Classic on Friday and may not race for the rest of the year and focus on 2024.
“It’s in our control if we decide we’re just going to go ahead and train through this year and focus on next year, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Bobby Kersee said. “The training is going well but our thought process, openly, is that we’re going to just train here in L.A. for the next two weeks and the next time she gets on the plane it’ll either be on vacation or to Budapest.”
Mu has only raced at two meets this year and said after Worlds last year that she felt no need to rush back into competition as she adjusted to Kersee's training. It's also clear that she's interested in things off the track, such as modeling, but it would be huge news if she skips the Worlds entirely.
This is such A fishy THING! Skip 2023 and focus on 2024? So this is basically an AUTO-ban for 12 months. She has clearly received a warning from someone not to run this season and behave properly if she wants her doping to be public...
as a fan you can absolutely be disappointed...but "mad" at her? you sound so entitled. "I have every right to be mad" ok sure. track is an individual sport. she doesn't owe you or anyone anything. she has to do what is right for her and we simply don't have all the info at this point. to feel mad at her is entitled and childish -not a great example for your kid
The irony of you telling me how to feel and I'm the one that's entitled?
And childish ? There are few athletes period for girls to look up to. Found a good one for my daughter to emulate and there is a shot she may not be and I can't be mad because track continues to do a poor job of promoting the athletes and the sport ?
You should have never had kids though. You never grew up.
Her talent, her business.she doesn't run for your benefit. And if she doesn't enjoy it, she should jog away.
As for money., you are not paying her rent.
I mean in some ways we are. If a bunch of people boycotted Nike for her not doing worlds, they would cut her. She's a sponsored athlete to increase shoe sales (ie WE buy them). If we don't buy the shows because she doesn't compete, she doesn't bring in $ for Nike, Nike will stop giving her $ to pay her rent.
The boycott idea is actually low key goated. My pension fund owns a bunch of Nike stock so Mu is technically my employee. I basically own her. To see her behave so incredulously makes me furious! I will *NEVER* cheer for your again Mu you stinker!!!!
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