STATEN ISLAND, New York — Only two previous champions ended up atop the podium Sunday as a packed house at the USATF Indoor Championships, presented by Prevagen, was entertained by a sea of new faces bearing gold. The Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex saw 12 first-time champions on a day that highlighted the depth of excellence in American track and field.
Masterfully handling a tactical race that was set up almost perfectly for their vaunted finishing kick, Nikki Hiltz slammed the door on all challengers down the homestretch of the women's 1500 to win a fourth straight U.S. indoor title in 4:11.34. The first four laps were reminiscent of a morning training jog as Gracie Morris led through 800 in 2:23.32, but the tempo cranked up progressively from there. Sinclaire Johnson eased to the front through 1000 in 2:56.06, and then Lindsey Butler grabbed the reins and led through 1200 in 3:26.69. Hiltz showed no signs of worry, hanging out in a perfect striking position, and a 29.51 final 200 sealed the victory. Morris closed very quickly on the inside for silver in 4:11.39, and Butler garnered bronze in 4:11.52.
Cooper Lutkenhaus became the youngest man to win a U.S. indoor title, running away from the field in the 800 to cross the line in 1:46.68. Early pace was modest as Isaiah Jewett took the pack through 200 in 25.31, and as they came around again Lutkenhaus decided the tempo was too slow and made his move to take charge. He went by the 400 in 53.18 and from there he controlled it all the way to the finish. Sean Dolan surged into second by the 600 mark but couldn't match the 17-year-old Texas high schooler over the final circuit, taking silver in 1:47.16, with Harris getting bronze in 1:47.22.
Nobody had an answer to Jordan Anthony's finishing speed in the men's 60 and he won his first national title as a professional with a 6.45 that turned back veteran superstars Trayvon Bromell and Olympic 100 champion Noah Lyles. Turner was not the quickest out of the blocks and had work to do midway down the straight, but the nation's top collegiate athlete last year showed he is ready for the rough and tumble world of pro racing, finishing ahead of Bromell's season best 6.47 and Lyles' 6.51 for bronze. Earlier in the heats, Texas high schooler Dillon Mitchell set a world U18 best of 6.59 to advance to the final.
Jacious Sears was a clear favorite for gold in the women's 60 after a sizzling 7.05 in the heats, and she didn't falter as she collected her first U.S. indoor crown in 7.04. The real story was behind her, though, with Texas high school twins Mia and Mariah Maxwell earning silver and bronze. Mia tied the high school national record in 7.13, and Mariah was .01 behind her in third.
The blanket finish in the men's 1500 was eerily similar to yesterday's classic men's 3000, but the faces were certainly different. Nathan Green performed the best finishing dive to take his first indoor national gold in 3:37.65, .02 ahead of silver medalist Luke Houser and .08 up on bronze medalist Vincent Ciattei. Cole Hocker, the 3000 champion, took the lead early to establish a favorable pace and hit 400 in 58.43. By 800 Ciattei had edged past Hocker to take control in 1:59.43, but the deck was shuffled in the next 400 and left Luke Houser in charge with 300 remaining. At the bell Houser was still leading, but he couldn't match Green's 26.65 final lap. Yared Nuguse, the 3000 silver medalist, ended up fourth in 3:38.06 and Hocker took fifth in 3:38.08.
All eyes in the second section of the men's 400 final were on Khaleb McRae, who two weeks ago set a pending world record with a 44.52 stunner at Arkansas. McRae was lined up in lane five inside of his main challenger and training partner, Chris Robinson, and those two quickly established their superiority. McRae passed 200 in 21.28 and didn't let up on the way to a 45.01 that was the fastest winning time at the meet since Michael Johnson's 44.66 in 1996 at Atlanta. Robinson snagged the silver in 45.36 and bronze went to TJ Tomlyanovich, who was third behind McRae and Robinson. Jevon O'Bryant won the first section in 46.41.
After World Indoor Tour champion Jordan Geist boomed a 21.72/71-3.25 on his opening attempt in the men's shot put, Roger Steen steadily improved in each round until his fourth try flew out to 21.81/71-6.75 to take the lead. He held that spot to win his first indoor U.S. title, with Geist taking silver and Josh Awotunde bronze with a best of 21.06/69-1.25.
Rosey Effiong never trailed in the second section of the women's 400 final, holding off former Arkansas teammate Paris Peoples to clock 51.53 and take the title. Bailey Lear won the first section in 51.60 to earn silver, with Peoples nabbing bronze in 51.65.
A new champion was guaranteed in the women's 800, with Valery Tobias the only finalist from last year to make this final. Olivia Baker made the early pace honest, pulling the field through 200 in 27.59 and 400 in 58.19 before Addison Wiley made a strong push and led through 600 in 1:29.71 with Tobias on her heels. Wiley and Tobias fought it out around the final bend, with Meghan Hunter also challenging, but Wiley had too much speed for the others and set an indoor lifetime best of 1:59.43 to take gold. Tobias held on for silver for the second year in a row in 1:59.77, and Hunter claimed bronze in 2:00.03.
Completing a horizontal jumps double after winning the long jump yesterday, Paris 2024 bronze medalist Jasmine Moore made quick work of her specialty to take triple jump gold and defend her title with a best of 13.89/45-7 on her second attempt. Kayla Woods tied her lifetime best with a 13.50/44-3.5 for silver and Ryann Porter matched that distance for bronze.
Chloe Timberg needed to clear 4.70/15-5 in the women's pole vault to secure the qualifying standard for the World Indoor Championships in Poland, and she did so on her second attempt. Timberg won the competition with a first attempt clearance at 4.60/15-1, and then made 4.65/15-3 on her third try before moving up to her ultimate winning height. She is the first woman not named Moon (Nageotte) or Morris to win this event since 2015. Jessica Mercier and Emily Grove shared silver with bests of 4.55/14-11.
Struggling through injury woes since he was an Olympian at Tokyo in 2021, Steffin McCarter signaled a return to the top in the men's long jump, winning his first national indoor crown with an 8.10/26-7 in round four. Previous event leader Jeremiah Davis responded with an 8.08/26-6.25 in the next round but that cemented his silver, while Isaac Grimes used an 8.00/26-3 leap in round three for bronze.
All three of Jalani Davis's legal attempts in the women's weight throw would have been good enough to win, and the 2023-24 NCAA indoor champion for Mississippi used a 24.84/81-6 in round two to dominate the competition. That gave her a victory margin of almost seven feet over silver medalist Elisia Lancaster, who had a best of 22.78/74-9.
Only one man managed to clear 2.24/7-4.25 in the high jump, and that successful attempt gave Eli Kosiba his first U.S. indoor title after a runner-up finish last year. Kosiba entered the competition as the highest American jumper in 2026 and sailed over the first two heights before needing a second attempt at 2.21/7-3. At that point he was tied with Caleb Snowden for the lead, but Snowden couldn't get over the subsequent height and had to settle for silver, with Kason O'Riley earning bronze, also at 2.21/7-3.
RECORDS SET
American
Men's 5000 Race Walk – 19:13.37, Nick Christie (NYAC/WCAP) Women's 5000 Race Walk – 22:14.69, Lauren Harris (NYAC) Women's Shot Put – 20.44/67-0.75, Chase Jackson (Nike)
Meet
Women's 5000 Race Walk – 22:14.69, Lauren Harris (NYAC) Women's 3000 – 8:30.01, Emily Mackay (New Balance) Women's Shot Put – 20.44/67-0.75, Chase Jackson (Nike) Men's Pole Vault – 6.01/19-8.5, Zach Bradford (unattached)