Cole Hocker fastest in 3K at national indoor track championship

Cole Hocker remained unblemished for his career at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships with a split-second victory in the 3,000-meter race on Saturday in Staten Island, N.Y.

Hocker outkicked fellow Olympians Yared Nuguse and Nico Young to win the race in 7 minutes, 39.25 seconds at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. Nuguse was second (7:39.28) and Young third (7:39.29).

Gold medalist in the 1,500 at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the 2025 world outdoor champion in the 5,000, Hocker has not lost at the USATF Indoor Championships. He won both the 1,500 and 3,000 in 2022 and the 1,500 in 2024.

"It was just staying attached to both Yared and Nico," Hocker said, per NBC Sports. "I know both of them are such good finishers. It was just staying connected to them because only two go (to worlds), so I needed one of them."

The meet is a qualifier for the World Indoor Championships on March 20-22 in Poland. A country can qualify up to two spots per individual event and possibly a third if the athlete earned a World Indoor Tour wild card.

Both Hocker and Nuguse are running in the 1,500 on Sunday, when the national meet concludes.

Chase Jackson broke the U.S. indoor record for women's shot put with a throw of 20.44 meters to win on Saturday. A two-time world champion, Jackson shared the old mark of 20.21 and holds the outdoor record of 20.76 meters.

Zach Bradford became the eighth American to clear 6 meters, indoors or outdoors, in capturing the pole vault at 6.01 meters.

Emily Mackay set a championship record in winning the women's 3,000 (8:30.01), just ahead of Elle St. Pierre (8:30.07). Dylan Beard captured the men's 60-meter hurdles (7.37 seconds) and Alia Armstrong the women's race (7.82).

Vashti Cunningham's run of nine straight national indoor titles ended when Charity Hufnagel won the women's high jump (1.96 meters). Cunningham was second at 1.93.

Jasmine Moore won the women's long jump (6.86 meters), and Lauren Harris was fastest in the 5K racewalk (22:14.69).

Russell Robinson was best in the men's triple jump (16.59 meters), Isaiah Rogers in the weight throw (23.41 meters) and Nick Christie in the 5K racewalk (19:13.37).

--Field Level Media