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≡ USATF INDOOR CHAMPS ≡
Two Paris Olympic hurdles champions lined up for titles at the USA Track & Field National Indoor Championships in Staten Island, New York, as men’s 110 m hurdles gold winner Grant Holloway and women’s 100 m hurdles winner Masai Russell headlined the indoor hurdles finals on Saturday:
● Defending champ Trey Cunningham scratched from the men’s 60 m hurdles, but Olympic champ Holloway won his 81st straight indoor hurdles race in heat two in 7.45. Cordell Tinch took heat one in 7.50 and USC senior Johnny Brackins moved to no. 4 in 2025 in winning heat three in a lifetime best of 7.44, to lead all qualifiers.
In the final, Brackins was in three and Holloway in five, and true to form, Holloway dominated, equaling his world-leading mark of 7.36 to win by daylight over 2024 runner-up Cameron Murray (7.41, no. 4 in 2025) and Brackins, who got a lifetime best of 7.43. Tinch was fourth in 7.48.
That’s 82 in a row for Holloway – including 40 finals over 11 seasons – who won this meet in 2022 and can go for his third World Indoor gold next month in China, already in 2022 and 2024. Here’s what domination looks like: Holloway now has 15 of the top 23 marks ever in this event!
● The women’s 60 m hurdles started off with Olympic champ Russell (7.81) and fifth-placer Grace Stark winning the heats, and Stark equaling the world lead of 7.75 and moving to equal-7th all-time U.S.
It was tight in the final, but Russell got to the line first in a world-leading 7.74, now equal-13th all-time and equal-6th all-time U.S. Stark was just behind, at 7.76 and Christina Clemons at 7.81. Russell finished third at the 2024 U.S. Indoor, but has the title now.
There was a lot more, of course, including a world-leader in the men’s weight.
Six were in the lead pack of the men’s 3,000 m at the 2,000 m point, with 2024 Olympic steepler Matthew Wilkinson leading at 5:10.72. Dylan Jacobs, the 2023 NCAA Indoor 5,000 m winner, took over with two laps to go, tracked by 2023 World Road mile champ Hobbs Kessler. Kessler led at the bell and he and Jacobs battled on the final lap before Kessler surged to the line and won in a meet record of 7:38.00, with Jacobs barely second in 7:38.02 and Sam Gilman coming up for third over Wilkinson, 7:38.64 to 7:40.26.
Six cleared 5.60 m (18-4 1/2) in the men’s pole vault, three cleared 5.70 m (18-8 1/4) and three passed after one or two misses. So at 5.75 m (18-10 3/4), all but Tokyo Olympic silver winner (and defending champion) Chris Nilsen and Paris Olympian Jacob Wooten were eliminated. At 5.80 m (19-1 1/4), Nilsen won as Wooten missed all three tries, but did not go higher, winning at a very modest 5.70.
The entire U.S. Olympic team from 2024 was in the men’s triple jump, with Russell Robinson leading after three rounds at 16.67 m (54-8 1/4), ahead of four-time U.S. Indoor winner Donald Scott (16.62 m/54-6 1/2). That was the situation until the sixth round, when James Carter – third last year in this meet – zoomed into the lead with a lifetime best of 16.88 m (55-4 3/4)! Scott fouled as did Robinson, and Carter had an upset, last-jump victory, moving to no. 8 on the 2025 world list.
Two-time U.S. Indoor champ Will Claye, now 33, finished fourth at 16.54 m (54-3 1/4).
Three-time U.S. Indoor winner Daniel Haugh, who set the Weight world record in this meet in 2024, took the lead in round two with a world-leading 25.11 m (82-4 3/4) and no one could catch him. Tanner Berg was the only one close, at 24.96 m (81-10 3.4) in round one.
Emanuel Corvera, the 2024 runner-up, took over with four laps to go and won the men’s 3,000 m walk in 11:57.89, ahead of Jordan Crawford (12:00.92) and Jason Cherng (12:19.50).
Shelby Houlihan, now back from her doping suspension, was a four-time champ in the women 3,000 m and took charge of the race quickly and led through 900 m, then at 1,500 m in 4:38.80, ahead of Annie Rodenfels and Paris 1,500 m Olympian Nikki Hiltz. At 2,000 m, Hiltz passed in 6:07.15, with Katelyn Tuohy closest.
With two laps left, Paris 5,000 m Olympian Whittni Morgan took over, then was passed by Houlihan and Hiltz coming to the bell, with Hiltz leading. Houlihan got in front into the last turn, but Hiltz had enough power to come home the winner in 8:48.28, with Houlihan at 8:48.43 and Morgan third in 8:48.56.
Tokyo Olympic champ Katie Moon won the women’s vault as the only one to clear 4.70 m (15-5), which she did on her first try, with Gabriela Leon and Emily Grove clearing 4.65 (15-3) to go 2-3. Moon cleared 4.80 m (15-9) on her second try and moved up to a world-leading 4.90 m (16-0 3/4), but missed all three tries.
It’s Moon’s third straight U.S. indoor title: 2023-24-25 and she will be looking for her first World Indoor gold. She won silver in 2022 and bronze in 2024.
Olympic bronze winner Jasmine Moore took control of the women’s long jump in round two, reaching 6.64 m (21-9 1/2), just ahead of Claire Bryant (6.62 m/21-8 3/4). But Bryant jumped ahead in round three at 6.72 m (22-0 3/4), with Moore closing up at 6.66 m (21-10 1/4) in round five. The final round saw Paris Olympian – and 2024 World Indoor silver winner – Monae Nichols rise up, taking the lead by a centimeter at 6.73 m (22-1) and moving to no. 9 on the 2025 world list. Neither Moore or Bryant could respond and Nichols got her first U.S. indoor title!
Four-time U.S. Indoor champ Chase Jackson went to the lead right away in the women’s shot final at 19.42 m (63-8 3/4), then extended to 19.65 m (64-5 3/4) in round three. Maggie Ewen, the 2022 U.S. Indoor champ, was a solid second at 18.86 m (61-10 1/2) in round three, and Tokyo Olympian Jessica Ramsey got up for third in the final round at 18.51 m (60-8 3/4).
Jackson’s fifth title gives her – like Moon – a chance for a World Indoor gold, after silver in 2022 and bronze in 2024.
Lauren Harris got a lifetime best of 13:23.83 to win the 3,000 m Walk, ahead of 10-time indoor champ Maria Michta-Coffey (13:33.28) and three-time winner Miranda Melville (13:36.67).
Timara Chapman, the 2024 NCAA heptathlon winner for Texas A&M, moved to no. 3 on the 2025 indoor world list in winning the pentathlon at 4,555 points, well ahead of Cheyenne Nesbitt (4,462) and Erin Marsh (4,423).
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In the heats, Jacory Patterson set the pace in the men’s 400 m, winning heat one in 45.45, followed by world leader Chris Bailey at 45.15 in heat two. Prep star Quincy Wilson headlined heat three, and roared from behind on the straight to win in 46.41. Defending champ Brian Faust and two-time Olympic relay gold medalist Vernon Norwood were 1-2 in heat four, with Faust winning, 45.90 to 45.96, with both advancing to the final.
World men’s 800 m leader Josh Hoey won the first of the three men’s 800 m heats in 1:46.59, 2024 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor winner Wes Ferguson won heat two in 1:45.34, and Paris Olympian Brandon Miller took heat three in 1:45.58.
In the women’s 400 m heats, Bailey Lear – fourth in this meet in 2024 – got an indoor lifetime best of 51.56 to win heat one, defending champ Alexis Holmes took heat two (52.14) and 2024 NCAA runner-up Rosey Effiong won heat three in 52.21.
In the women’s 800 m prelims, Valery Tobias (2:00.64), Sage Huerta-Klecker and Krissy Gear (2:00.56), Kaela Edwards (2:00.44) and 2024 Olympic Trials winner Nia Akins (2:01.36) were the heat winners. Seven-time winner Ajee Wilson was third in heat four (2:02.29) and did not advance.
The meet continues Sunday, with NBC televising the last two hours from 1-3 p.m. Eastern.
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