Hiltz win women's 1500m in thrilling finish
Nikki Hiltz times their kick just right to narrowly win the women's 1500m at the USATF Outdoor Championship with a time of 4:06.91.
Video Transcript
24 world mile champion, lane six, Rachel McArthur.
Claire Stegall, Carly Hansen, Annika Rees, Teagan Scheinbecker.
Good field.
There were a lot of PRs getting into this final.
On your mark.
So the semis of this event were very fast.
I don't think we mentioned Heather MacLean.
Gun goes off, and let's go.
There's a 1500 meter national title on the line.
You mentioned when we were at the Prefontaine Classic several weeks ago, just the race that Nikki Hiltz was the architect of, the strategy, then the execution at the end, incredible.
Yeah, they really are so good at responding to the race around them.
They were asked after the prelim, you know, "What is your strategy for the final?"
And they just said, "I, I don't have one.
I am I will react to whatever happens around me."
Hiltz has really just gotten so many tools in their toolbox over the last few years.
They can kick off a slow pace.
They can kick off a hot pace.
This year has been sensational for them.
They also won the Millrose Mile.
So I think it's gonna be very, very hard to beat them.
They just have so many different skill sets.
Addy Wiley leads.
Rachel McArthur's there.
Kylie Finger in the mix.
And Hansen's on the rail.
Hiltz, there's a little bit of, pushing and shoving in the middle there, just trying to find sort of the right space as they're into their rhythm now in this Lake County, Florida, women's 1500 final.
Well, you can see Nikki Hiltz doesn't look very comfortable in that position.
They can't fully stride out or use their arms, so we're seeing them try to get a little bit of space here and open this up.
This is a 71 for the first 400 meters, which is very slow for these women.
So as we often see at these championship races, they come, they come down to very tactical affairs.
They come down to positioning, fast finishes, and everyone's sort of looking around.
Now we see Emily Mackay there in the back, but moving to the outside to be ready to pounce at any move that's made.
Jessica Kane just ahead of her, the 25-year-old of out of California.
And again, Hiltz remains boxed in the middle, all in red, getting ready for this thing to just open up.
Yeah, and they've done a good job of staying calm through that last lap and now getting to a position where they're on the outside of lane one where they have the ability to move if they want to.
But so far, these women have decided to not run this one too hard.
Jessica Kane goes to the front, and guess who has found their space at their time?
Nikki Hiltz moves into second ahead of Addy Wiley.
Hiltz just looks so relaxed and so effortless.
We see Emily Mackay following her, and Addy Wiley.
I do think Mackay is sort of looking at Hiltz to follow the moves.
Hiltz is such a great tactical runner, and that's one of the skills that Mackay really wants to work on as she progresses in her career.
Look at how calm Nikki Hiltz looks right now.
There's no strain on their face.
The stride is nice and even, but it's not full out, so you know there's still more left.
Reminiscent of that recent run in Eugene, Oregon, where Nikki upset the legend, Faith Kipyegon.
McArthur is staying in the mix.
Kane is leading down the stretch.
Coming to the bell.
Addy Wiley on the rail.
Watch this final lap.
Here we go.
Well, like we saw in the men's race, this is definitely coming down to a fast finish.
We see Mackay now starting to move out and around.
Hiltz there is continuing to protect their position.
They believe they can finish better than anyone else.
Their grandma's in the stands today to see them run for the first time in a year, so they seem really content to sit there, but Addy Wiley's making a run for it now in the front.
Addy Wiley, who won a Diamond League level at the 800 mark earlier this year, is ahead of Nikki Hiltz.
Addy Wiley's doing a good job here of trying to string this out.
Nikki Hiltz is right on her with Emily Mackay, but I just think that Nikki Hiltz still has more in the tank.
We've just seen them kick so many times from 100 meters out.
How about Emily Mackay staying with them?
It is a three-athlete race coming down the stretch for the national 1500 meter title.
Here comes Emily Mackay, Addy Wiley, Nikki Hiltz.
It's a three athlete side by side for the national title.
Nikki's done it again.
That's four in a row.
I don't even know if I've ever seen a top three like that close at a US championship.
That's the fourth straight individual title for Nikki Hiltz.
There is no stopping Nikki Hiltz right now.
Nikki Hiltz, 4:06.86, and then Emily Mackay- Does anyone have more fun out there- Nah than Nikki Hiltz?
Emily Mackay- I mean, they just won their eighth straight 1500 meter title indoor or out, which is the longest streak in US history.
They just are absorbing everything, taking it in.
They feel the fans, and they really have just become unstoppable.
Well, no question.
Prevagen Moment of the Meet.
Memorable moments, for sure.
Just absolutely, all three of these women really went for it.
Addy Wiley pushing so late, Mackay moving on the outside.
But it's almost as if Hiltz just is content.
They know that they ran a 58.8 last second lap here.
They know what they have.
They know it by inches if they're gonna win.
The calmness, the ability to pick when they need to, and the ability to ride all the way through that line.
Look at They have to run all the way through, but they do, and they know they win.
They just time everything so well.
Fourth national 1500 title in a row.
The last athlete to do that was Jenny Simpson.
Jenny, if you're watching, we're thinking of you.
We know you had a health scare recently, but how about that?
And Nikki would take that as a big source of pride that she has equaled you with four in a row.
Hey, Lewis, it doesn't get any better than that.
Three athletes coming to the line.
Nikki Hiltz gets her fourth title in a row.
Lead to the last step.
And Nikki, from the Millrose Games to Staten Island, the US championships, what is it about you and New York City?
I love this city.
You know, my, my mom's from Long Island, so I feel like a little part of me is from here.
And, you know, the crowd is awesome.
Someone threw me a trans flag, so a lot of queer people in New York.
I'm queer and yeah, no, I love it here.
Incredible last step.
But to think that your grandmother was here to watch the, you, what does that mean?
Oh, it's awesome.
I mean, my grandma's like my biggest fan, and she doesn't come to a lot of meets, so I had to, I had to perform.
I told myself the last 50, this is for grandma.
Wow.
Yeah.
Incredible last step.
I'm sure she's proud.
Congratulations once again, Nikki.
Thank you.
Thanks, Lewis.
