In a race that was fast and furious from the beginning and thrilling at the end, Nikki Hiltz—the reigning national champion and indoor silver medalist—outkicked pre-race favorite and Emily Mackay to win the womens 1500 meters and Emily Mackay to win the women’s 1500 meters.
It’s the first Olympic team for Hiltz, 29, whose time of 3:55.33 broke the Trials record previously held by St. Pierre and now ranks them as the second-fastest American ever at this event.
Mackay, 26, placed second in a personal best 3:55.90, and St. Pierre, 29, was third in a personal best 3:55.99. In fact, the top eight finishers all dipped below 4 minutes and ran faster than they ever had before.
In a field stacked with four Olympians, along with several national champions and American record holders, St. Pierre took command from the start, covering the first lap in 61 seconds. “I knew the field was really deep, and I just wanted to make it honest,” she told reporters afterward, adding that she was surprised at how good her legs felt after competing in two rounds of the 5,000 meters earlier in the meet.
The rest of the pack seemed content to follow behind her, with Sinclaire Johnson, who won the national championship in 2022, running in second for the first three laps.
At the bell lap, Mackay and Hiltz—along with Heather MacLean, a 2020 Olympian—challenged St. Pierre. For a brief moment, Mackay, MacLean, and St. Pierre—all teammates at Team New Balance Boston—shared the lead, before MacLean dropped back.
But Hiltz swung wide and passed both Mackay and St. Pierre in the final 100 meters, making a definitive move that powered them to victory. “I told myself, ‘I’m not going to think about all the love and support until 100 meters to go. And then, at that moment, you can let it all fill you up and push you to the finish line,’” they said afterward. “That’s exactly what I did, and I think that’s what brought me home.”
Johnson finished fourth, in 3:56.75. Afterward, she said she was glad the race confirmed that she had the fitness to run 3:57, but disappointed to finish fourth and shocked that time didn’t earn her a spot on the team. “That just shows you where the American milers are at right now, which is so impressive,” she said.
St. Pierre had already earned a trip to Paris by winning the 5,000 meters in a thrilling duel with Elise Cranny (who placed sixth in this race, in 3:57.87). But she’ll pass up that opportunity and focus only on the 1500 meters at the Olympics, coach Mark Coogan told Runner's World Sunday night. That means the third 5,000-meter spot goes to Parker Valby, Olympic Track & Field Trials 10,000 meters (though, because she doesn’t have the Olympic standard time for that event, her spot on that team won’t be finalized until July 7).
St. Pierre concurred with Johnson about the impressive depth of this event, noting how the competitors continue to fuel each other. “People are training hard and kind of feeding off each other,” St. Pierre said. “You see somebody else do something, and you’re like, well, it’s not unbelievable. Now it gives you confidence that you can do it.”
Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. She’s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.
