DES MOINES – The 2025 USATF 1 Mile Championships kicked off what is set to be an incredible week of athletics in Des Moines with the inaugural meeting of the World Shot Put Series on Wednesday and the 115th annual Drake Relays through Sunday.
Slight cloud cover and a 70 degree evening made a picture perfect backdrop to the 16th edition of the USATF 1 Mile Championships, which served as the selection event for Team USATF at the 2025 World Athletics Road Running Championships.
Making her season debut, Karissa Schweizer and American 1500 record holder Shelby Houlihan took an early lead and pulled the 15-woman pack through a quarter-mile in 64 seconds. The two Iowa natives were still together at the front through the halfway point in 2:12, with Schweizer a half-stride ahead. Schweizer upped the tempo to try and break away from the field, but Houlihan covered that move and then passed Schweizer, going by the three-quarter mile mark in 3:19. Krissy Gear started to press forward in pursuit of the lead duo and was right beside Holuihan coming into the final stretch. Gear sprinted to the finish and broke the tape in 4:23.98 to claim the American record and the victory over Schweizer (4:24.40), a fast-closing Gracie Morris (4:24.73), and Houlihan (4:25.06).
“I know I’m a pretty good kicker, but so is half of that field,” said Krissy Gear following her win. “I knew they were going to rally going into the finish so I was trying to pump my arms as hard as I could and fortunately I was able to hold on.”
Gear's time made her the fourth-fastest woman ever in the event and she trimmed almost four seconds off the ratified American record of 4:27.97 that was set in 2023 by Nikki Hiltz. The first five women bettered Hiltz's national record.
Seeking his third career victory after wins last year and in 2022, Vincent Ciattei was among a tight pack of 20 men through the first quarter mile in 59 seconds. The field started to spread out over the next quarter and Ciattei had the lead in 2:00, albeit with seven men still in striking distance.
With a quarter mile remaining, Ciattei continued to hang near the lead, going by that checkpoint in 3:01 with 2023 champion Sam Prakel and Abe Alvarado. The top 12 runners were within a second of the lead, and as they saw the finish line in their distant vision, Craig Engels put the pedal down and briefly took the lead, but Ciattei wasn't to be denied and he surged to the win in 3:54.55. Sam Ellis nabbed the runner-up spot in 3:54.93, while Engels settled for third in 3:55.09.
“I had some quiet expectations [as the defending champion] but channeled it the right way,” said Vince Ciattei following his win. “I didn’t have the best indoor season but I think my success in this race in the past allowed me to channel confidence instead of anxiety so I’m really excited about the way I competed today.”
Ciattei’s win makes him the first runner since 2011 to win three mile titles. His time made him the second fastest American ever, and Ellis moved to No. 3 on the U.S. performer list.
A full list of results can be found here and the current standings of the USATF Running Circuit can be found here.