Hocker wins for second time in three years with 3:37.61, with Hiltz repeating as champion in 4:08.35 in Albuquerque

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos by Crash Kamon and Chuck Aragon

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – American milers have never won men’s and women’s medals at the same World Indoor Championships. There is reason to believe they can in 2024, and one reason to believe it is because of the 2-mile.

Cole Hocker and Nikki Hiltz ran to dominant victories in 1,500-meter races Saturday at the USATF Indoor Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center. It is perhaps no coincidence that each was coming off defeats at a distance longer than their specialties.

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Hocker’s victory was majestic, considering the time (meet record of 3:37.61), the altitude (4,959 feet), the closing 800 meters (1:52.04) and the margin (1.25 seconds).

“It’s not often you get to walk away from a race and feel like you 100 percent executed the plan,” Hocker said. “That was pretty damn close.”

This was a nationals and not a Worlds, but championship 1,500s are rarely so decisive. 

For instance, in 30 global finals in the 2000s (indoors, outdoors, Olympics), only once has the winning margin exceeded 0.71 seconds. In 20 of the 30, the margin was less than 0.30.

Asked about Albuquerque’s elevation, Hocker responded he could endure 3 ½ minutes of racing anywhere.

“That might have been naïve,” he said, “but I feel that was the case today.

“Once I got the lead, I knew I was not going to relinquish it.”

His last four 200-meter laps were timed in 29.59, 28.49, 27.24, 26.76. It was a withering finish.

Hocker was recognized Saturday on social media as a five-tool miler: runs comfortably in a pack, winds it up from the front, raw top-end speed, strong, changes pace effortlessly.

Twenty-year-old Hobbs Kessler was second in 3:38.76 to take the other spot for indoor Worlds, set for March 1-3 at Glasgow, Scotland.

Henry Wynne was third in 3:38.81 and Cooper Teare, who is Hocker’s training partner, was fourth in 3:38.99. Defending champion Sam Prakel was sixth in 3:40.04.

Six days before, Hocker broke the American record in the 2-mile with a time of 8:05.70 and finished third at the 116th Millrose Games in New York. Although a vexing outcome, it underscored his fitness. He was behind Josh Kerr, the Scottish world champion at 1,500 meters, and Grant Fisher.

“I have to realize who I’m running in some of these races. World champions, American record-holders,” Hocker said.

He has been on the international stage for four seasons but is still just 22. He has relocated from Eugene, Ore., and reunited with his college coach, Ben Thomas, to train in Blacksburg, Va. Not much to do there, Hocker said, but without distractions.

“I want to showcase the hard work we’ve done in what seems like a little bit of silence,” he said.

Hiltz repeated as champion in 4:08.35 to beat Emily Mackay, who clocked 4:08.70 to earn her first Team USA spot. Hiltz’s windup over the last four laps resembled Hocker’s: 33.13, 32.85, 31.94, 28.68.

Also, Hiltz was coming off a 9:15.80 2-mile at New York, finishing behind Great Britain’s Laura Muir and American record machine Alicia Monson. Being repeatedly told about being a great kicker was not necessarily beneficial, Hiltz said.

“It’s a great thing to be told, but to some extent it made me believe when it’s not slow and tactical, I’m going to struggle a lot,” Hiltz said.

Training under coach Mike Smith in Flagstaff, Ariz., has altered the outlook. After breaking Mary Slaney’s 38-year-old American record for a mile last summer, Hiltz could take the next step up to a podium.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007