Nikki Hiltz is the first person to win five consecutive U.S. 1500m titles including both indoor and outdoor tracks.
Hiltz followed their U.S. indoor 3000m title on Saturday by winning the 1500m on Sunday on Staten Island, New York.
In the 1500m, Hiltz took the lead with a little more than two laps left and held off Sinclaire Johnson — 4:05.76 to 4:06.05. Hiltz recorded the first women’s 1500m and 3000m sweep at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships since Shelby Houlihan did so in 2020.
“Indoors is about positioning,” Hiltz told Lewis Johnson on NBC Sports. “You can lead indoors better than outdoors. There’s no wind. The turns are tighter. Sometimes the pole position is the best position.”
USATF INDOORS: Full Results
Hiltz, seventh in the 1500m in their Olympic debut in Paris, qualified to race both the 1500m and the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships next month but is skipping the meet to prioritize the upcoming outdoor season.
Hiltz won U.S. indoor and outdoor 1500m titles in 2023 and 2024 before making it five in a row on Sunday. No other person won more than four consecutive U.S. indoor and outdoor 1500m titles since U.S. indoor champions began being crowned in the event in 1932 for men and 1967 for women.
USATF Indoors crown national champions and determine spots on the team for World Indoors from March 21-23 in Nanjing, China.
In most events, the top two finishers who have met the world championships qualifying standard during the qualification window are eligible for the world team.
Also Sunday, Josh Hoey lowered his own American record in winning the 800m in 1:43.24 to qualify for what would be his first global championship.
It’s the second-fastest time in history behind the world record of 1:42.67 set by Dane Wilson Kipketer in 1997.
Hoey, who missed the 2024 Olympic team by one spot, has this month lowered the American indoor 800m record by a total of 97 hundredths. The previous record was 1:44.21 set by Donavan Brazier in 2021.
Hobbs Kessler swept the men’s 1500m and 3000m this weekend for his first national titles and does not plan to race World Indoors.
Paris Olympic relay gold medalist Chris Bailey earned his first national title in the 400m, prevailing in 45.21.
Quincy Wilson, who last summer also won 4x400m relay gold at age 16 to become the youngest male Olympic track and field medalist, placed fifth in the six-man final. He could be part of the 4x400m relay pool at World Indoors.
