Questions have been raised about Athing Mu-Nikolayev’s absence from athletics since the start of 2026, as the Olympic 800m champion remained away from competition following a difficult return to racing last year. Her last appearance came at the USATF Outdoor Championships on August 1, 2025, where she finished fourth in her 800m semifinal in 1:59.79 and failed to advance to the final. Now, after months of uncertainty, the reason behind her continued absence has become clearer as the American star shares a heartwarming personal update.

On October 15, Mu-Nikolayev announced on Instagram that she is expecting her first child with her husband, Yegor Nikolayev. Sharing the news, she wrote, “Baby on board 🫶🏿☀️ Can’t wait to meet our little Sunshine!” The post also featured a series of photographs. In the first, she stood alongside her husband in an open field surrounded by trees and golden grass. Mu wore a long, flowing white dress with short puff sleeves and a tiered skirt while holding a strip of ultrasound photographs in front of her abdomen. Other pictures showed her proudly displaying her baby bump as the couple celebrated the news.

The announcement drew congratulations from fellow athletes, including Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, who commented, “Congratulations.” Hunter Woodhall and Masai Russell also joined those sharing their best wishes for the couple. Interestingly, Mu has not revealed when the baby is due. She married fellow athlete Nikolayev on March 8, 2025.

While the pregnancy announcement offers a happy update on her personal life, it does not fully explain her absence from competition since August 2025. Mu had already missed the first ten months of the 2026 season before sharing the news. However, her prolonged break follows a difficult period in her career, with injury and an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Paris Olympics disrupting her progress.

Mu’s struggles began in 2024, when she tore her hamstring around six weeks before the US Olympic Trials. She later fell during the 800m final in Eugene, Oregon, finishing ninth and missing out on a place at the Paris Olympics. The setback ended her hopes of defending the Olympic gold medal she had won in Tokyo in 2021.

Her return to competition in 2025 proved challenging. At the Prefontaine Classic in July, Mu finished last in the 800m in 2:03.44, marking her first race at the distance in almost a year. She improved to 1:59.79 at the USATF Outdoor Championships in August, but her fourth-place finish in the semifinal meant her season ended without a place in the final.

Her former coach, Bobby Kersee, later explained that returning to her previous level had not been easy. He pointed to the physical and mental challenges of recovering from injury and finding her rhythm again. Mu’s racing schedule also attracted attention that year. She began with a 5,000m race at the Mt. SAC Relays in April but dropped out after around 3,000m. She then competed in the 1,500m before returning to her main event.

Kersee explained that the approach was intended to help her become more comfortable racing alongside other athletes and rediscover her enjoyment of competition. Even after she returned to the track, physical concerns remained. Kersee said Mu was still experiencing discomfort and had not fully recovered. “She still had nagging pains here and there,” he said. “There were still some off-balances or whatever. She wasn’t 100% herself.”

In December 2025, Mu and Kersee ended their coaching relationship after around three years together.  “I’m sure they’ll seek out good coaching and once she’s healthy, then she’s going to be very difficult to beat. She’s that talented,” he said. Now, her pregnancy announcement has brought a new development to the story. But the big question remains: could Athing Mu return to the Olympic stage at LA28?

Will Athing Mu return for the LA28 Olympics?

Mu has yet to reveal her due date, although the photos she shared have led to speculation that her baby could arrive in early 2027. The Los Angeles Olympics are scheduled for July 14 to 30, 2028, which would leave her roughly 16 to 18 months between childbirth and the Games if that timeline proves correct. However, Mu has not confirmed whether she plans to return to competition or target the LA28 Olympics. 

Still, Los Angeles could offer the Olympic champion another chance to fight for gold on the biggest stage after missing the Paris 2024 Games. She claimed the women’s 800m title at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, but her hopes of defending that crown were dashed at the US Olympic Trials in June 2024.

Despite entering the trials as the reigning Olympic champion, Mu needed to finish among the top three in the 800m final to secure her place on the US team. She had been recovering from a hamstring injury that had kept her out of competition for around nine months, making the trials her first race of 2024.

During the final in Eugene, Oregon, Mu fell around 200 metres into the race after becoming tangled with other runners. Although she got back to her feet and continued, she could not make up the lost ground and finished ninth in 2:19.69. Nia Akins, Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker claimed the three Olympic qualifying spots, leaving Mu out of the team heading to Paris.

With LA28 less than two years away, Mu could have another chance to compete for Olympic glory. However, until she speaks publicly about her comeback plans, it remains unclear whether she will return to the track in time for the Games.