Texas A&M Freshman Stays Hot, Runs 50.52 For No. 4 Time In Collegiate History; McLaughlin Ran Faster At Kentucky, But World U-20 Mark Was Never Ratified

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Sensational freshman Athing Mu made new headlines Saturday by running 50.52 seconds in her first collegiate open 400 meters at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station, Texas. 

Mu broke the World U-20 Indoor record, broke the Texas A&M school record, and pushed into the all-time collegiate rankings at No. 4.

Sydney McLaughlin ran 50.36 during her lone season at Kentucky on the same Gilliam Indoor Track at the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships, but her mark was never ratified by World Athletics as the U-20 global indoor record. The recognized World U-20 mark before Saturday was 50.82 by American Sanya Richards-Ross from 2004.

Mu also elevated to the No. 4 indoor performer in American history and ranks 20th all-time in the world.

Second-place finisher Charokee Young, a Texas A&M sophomore, ran 51.93 for the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season. 

A week earlier, Mu split 50.02 as she anchored the Aggies' 4x400-meter relay to a victory at the Texas Tech Invitational in Lubbock, Texas. That was the second-fastest relay split in history. STORY

Through her first four collegiate indoor meets, Mu has already established herself as one of he fastest long sprinters in NCAA history. She has run 800 meters in 2:01.07 (American U-20 record), the 600 meters in 1:25.80 (collegiate record) and now the 400. 

Additionally, Texas' thrower Adrian Piperi launched a personal record 21.74m (71-4) to move to No. 2 on the all-time college indoor list. The big throw came on his sixth throw. On his fourth, he threw 21.62m (70-11.25).

Only North Dakota State graduate and 2019 NCAA Indoor champion Payton Otterdahl remains ahead of Piperi in Division 1 indoor history. Otterdahl achieved the collegiate indoor record 71-6.75 (21.81m) during his senior season.