Rancho Bernardo HS Graduate Nia Akins Headed to Paris After 800-Meter Victory

Nia Akins fell to the ground in joy. Athing Mu fell to the ground in shock and despair.

The difference: Native San Diegan Akins had just won the women’s 800-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, and Tokyo Olympic champion Mu saw her hopes for Paris evaporate a quarter of the way into the race.

It was a stunning example of déjà vu in reverse.

At the 2021 Olympic Trials, Mu clipped the heels of Akins after 170 meters. Mu won and Akins got up and finished last in 2:12.

On Monday, Mu got up and took last in 2:19.

Now Akins, 25, will be a first-time Olympian after recording a personal best of 1:57.36. American record holder Mu, 22, will stay home.

In the men’s 400-meter final, 2022 world champion Michael Norman took a surprise second to vastly improved Quincy Hall, who won in a personal best 44.17 seconds.

But Norman — born “on base” in San Diego (his dad was in the Navy) — clocked 44.41 and turned back the 16-year-old phenom Quincy Wilson, who ran his third sub-45 quarter-mile of the meet in taking sixth but didn’t set yet another high school and U18 world record.

Akins, a 2016 graduate of RB High School, said of Mu’s fall: “The sport is just crazy and unpredictable and tough. Nobody deserves that. (Mu) didn’t deserve that today. I didn’t deserve it three years ago.

“I wouldn’t be here today without that happening to me then. Honestly, it took me a while, but I’m super grateful for it. I learned a lot from it.”