Nico Young Has Arrived. The U.S. Distance Star Nets His First National Title

Forbes

19 hours ago

Speed tends to separate in a major championship. Nico Young knew that.
So when the last 2,000 meters arrived in the men's 10K final on Thursday night at the USATF Outdoor Championships, the 23-year-old made his move.
The returning Olympian from Camarillo, California showcased his burgeoning star power over the final five laps at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, out legging the Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher en route to his first national championship in a time of 29:02.12.
'Today was a very good 10K, although it was slow for most of it,' Young told an assembled group of reporters afterward. 'I'd like to see how I do in a race that's maybe like how Paris was this past summer.'
Nico Young Could Be The U.S.'s Next Big Distance Star
It was a signal from Young that, perhaps, his time is coming—that even Fisher could not contend with him over the final laps.
Young whipped past the field at a crucial time, going from 12th to fourth to third and then to the lead over the final lap, covering the final 1,600 meters in 3:57.05, including a final 400 meters in 56.54.
Fisher managed a final quarter lap in 57.33 before finishing in second in 29:02.37, while Graham Blanks, who entered with the fastest time in the field over the 2025 season (26:57.30) – a time that put him inside the world standard by three seconds – closed in 58.45, managing third in 29:03.66. A third U.S. Olympian in the 10K from a year ago, Woody Kincaid, was eighth overall in 29:25.24.
The race's slow pace ultimately won't affect outcomes. All three athletes held the 10K standard before the race, meaning all three will head to Tokyo in the event.
All three also managed to qualify for the Paris Olympics last June—Fisher and Young both netted their tickets in the 10K, while Blanks, by virtue of his World Ranking, earned his spot after finishing fourth in the 5K the U.S. Olympic Trials (joining Fisher, who doubled in both events).
Young's form on Thursday may indicate his ability to contend in a world final beside Fisher, who turned in two Olympic bronze medals in Paris in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters last August. Young was 12th in the Olympic 10K final, not quite in the picture.
This year, that might just change.
'I've got a lot of confidence going into worlds,' Young told reporters.
How Nico Young Arrived At The USATF Outdoor Championships
Young is no doubt having a career year. A little over a month ago, in Oslo, Norway, the former Northern Arizona University superstar and two-time NCAA champion dazzled at the Oslo Diamond League, winning the men's 5,000 meters in 12:45.27.
Not only was the performance the second-fastest U.S. time in history at the distance and the American outdoor record, but by winning against a field of Ethiopians and Europeans, Young also built the idea that he can compete against anyone in the world in a major championship. He was just the third American in history to win a Diamond League event at 5,000 meters.
He told reporters on Thursday that, while he considered only focusing on what he felt was his stronger event in the 5,000 meters, he held the world standard in both the 5K and 10K, and felt it was a rare feat.
With two days of recovery before the 5K final on Sunday, he says the maintenance between days was manageable.
'Honestly, sometimes I've run better after already having run an event, so I'm thinking maybe I'll even feel better in the 5K having run the 10K, so it's not really much of a risk,' he said.
Earlier in June, Young took on a top field at Grand Slam Track Philadelphia over 3,000 meters and walked away with another win in 8:01.03.
Young's career trajectory has been that of a young phenom transitioning over every phase of his career.
He went from a historic high school career at Newbury Park, where he won a high school national championship at Nike Cross Nationals, to two national titles at NAU and three All-American performances in cross country, including two top 10 finishes.