State of American distance running and why it's on the rise
Three runners who can bring American distance running to the top
This Monday was the Boston Marathon, one of the six World Marathon Majors, and one of two in America. I bring up the Boston Marathon because, while it is an American marathon, it has been some time since an American won it, the last time being 1983 for the men and 2018 for the women. But this week’s race and other races of late point to the end of that losing streak, signaling the rise of American distance running.
State of American Distance Running
I would like to begin by discussing the 2024 Paris Olympics, and more particularly, highlight three American athletes. The first of the four is Nikki Hiltz, a middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800m through the 3000m. In Paris, Hiltz had an incredible outing, placing seventh in a stacked field, with a winning time just 2.25 seconds off the world record. Since then, Hiltz has continued to perform incredibly well. In Kingston, the location of the first Slam, Hiltz placed second in the Women’s Short Distance category, winning the 800m in a World Lead of 1:58.23 and placing third in the 1500m. Along with competing well on the international level, Hiltz also holds the American Record in the mile and is a three-time national champion. Hiltz has shown progress so far, and signs point to them being a serious player in the advancement of American distance running.
The next American I would like to talk about is the long-distance runner who is on the rise on the world stage, Grant Fisher. Fisher has gained a lot of momentum in the past year, winning a bronze medal in both the 5000m and the 10000m, becoming the first American man to medal in the 10k since Galen Rupp in 2012. Since Paris, Fisher has capitalized on his success and broke the world record in the 3000m and the 5000m during the indoor season. This outdoor season, he did the same, and while the season is still young, he has had success. Like Hiltz, Fisher is also a member of Grand Slam Track, and he also had a great performance in Kingston. In the long-distance category, Fisher won the Slam with a total of 18 points. Heading into the rest of the season, Fisher will look to capitalize on his early 2025 success. His performance at the Paris Olympics is just the beginning for Grant Fisher, and I believe that his future is bright, and he is a key part of American distance running’s success in the future.
The third and final person I will touch on is Conner Mantz, the face of current American marathon running. For this, I’ll go back to my original comment about the Boston Marathon, because Mantz could be the next marathon runner from America to win the famed race. Mantz placed fourth in Boston on Monday, in a time of 2:05:08, which is a PR and the second fastest time by an American, just 23 seconds behind the winner. Besides his Boston performance, Mantz had another great race in Houston earlier this year when he broke an eighteen-year-old American Record by 26 seconds, by running 59:17 in the Half Marathon. In Paris, Mantz also had a great performance, placing eighth in a time of 2:08:12. Overall, Conner Mantz has already had a great Marathon running career, and has placed in the top seven in all of the Major Marathons he has run. Mantz is on the cusp of global Marathon running success, and he represents the state of American distance running.
Historically, America has had some of the best sprinters and track athletes in the world, and it’s time for them to be great in distance running too. The three athletes I have mentioned are only a few, and many more runners are helping to bring America to the top.