The pivotal question entering the 2023 World Championships was whether Athing Mu, the reigning Olympic and World champion, would defend her crown. 

On Wednesday morning in Budapest, she answered it. 

With much intrigue surrounding whether the 21-year-old Mu would compete on the world stage this time around, she left little to the imagination, clocking a win in typical Mu fashion, smooth and focused.

Mu ran 1:59.59 out of heat seven to move on to the semifinals on Friday. But what was notable was how the other heats stacked up. 

Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson, the World leader at the distance, clocked in and out and moved on after a 1:59.53 display. 

Hodkinson entered with a career best of 1:55.77, which she ran in April. 

Mu had run just one 800m all season, a time of 1:58.73, and so her top time in 2023 across the world table was much down the pecking order. But Mu owns a personal best of 1:55.04. She ran 1:55.21 to win the Olympic final in 2021 in Tokyo.

It didn't matter, however, as Mu ran just fine, and sported bedazzled Nike spikes in the process. 

She had finished second at USAs in the 1,500m in July, clocking a career best time of 4:03.44 at the distance. She opted against a date with the event at Worlds, but left much to be desired when she or her coach, Bobby Kersee, would not comment on whether she was suiting up in Budapest.

The rounds saw three of four Americans advance through. 

Raevyn Rogers finished second in the second section in 2:00.06, while Nia Akins won the fifth section in 1:59.19. Kaela Edwards ran 2:02.22 in the fourth section and did not push through to the semifinals.