Birthday: 10/23/94 Mile PR: 4:16.35 - 2023 (U.S. record)
Metric Mile (1500m) PR: 3:55.33 - 2024
High School: Aptos HS (CA) '13
Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
College: Oregon / Arkansas '18
Current Residence: Flagstaff, AZ
Nikki Hiltz, at the 2025 Millrose Games, finished third in the Wanamaker Mile, running an indoor personal record of 4:23.50, and two weeks later, won the USA Indoor 3000m title in 8:48.28, and the next day, took the 1500m title in 4:05.76 for the double sweep.
In 2024, the California native defended the USA 1500 indoor title in 4:08.35, earning a Team USA berth for the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, where Hiltz captured the 1500m silver medal in 4:02.32. In late June, at the Olympic Trials, Hiltz repeated as USA 1500m champion, winning a thrilling, historic race in 3:55.33 (#2 U.S. all-time), a meet record and 4-plus second PR and earning an Olympic berth to Paris, where Hiltz finished 7th in the 1500 (3:56.38). In December, won the 32-second handicap gender Kalakaua Merrie Mile, in a blanket finish, beating everybody to the finish line in 4:28.39.
In January 2023, Nikki recorded a 4:32.23 Mile indoors at Flagstaff, AZ, the fastest known women's Mile at altitude (6,900ft). In February, Hiltz won the USA Indoor 1500m crown (4:17.10 in Albuquerque, 4959ft), and in April, earned second USA road Mile crown at the Grand Blue Mile, clocking 4:28.0 (4:27.97) and setting event, USA Championship & world records.
In June 2023, Hiltz won the On Track Nights Mile in 4:22.07 in France, and at the Bislett Games Dream Mile, placed 4th in 4:18.38.
In July 2023, Hiltz won the USA 1500 title in 4:03.10 to earn a trip to the World Championships in Budapest, and on July 21, 2023, finished 6th in the Mile at the Monaco Diamond League meet, clocking 4:16.35 to break Mary Slaney's nearly 38-year-old U.S. record! The Flagstaff resident ended the noteworthy year by winning the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, running 4:28.07 in Honolulu.
In 2022, Nikki won the Fleet Feet Liberty Mile in 4:28, edging two-time race champion Emily Lipari. In August, the Californai native won the Sir Walter Miler, breaking the beam in 4:21.89, and setting North Carolina outdoor & absolute state records, and two weeks later, was victorious at the Falmouth Elite Mile in 4:28.93.
In September 2022, Hiltz set a personal road best in the Mile, clocking 4:17.4 as the runner-up at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, and in December, ended the season at the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, finishing second (4:28).
In 2021, Hiltz won the adidas Boost Boston Games road Mile in 4:31, and in late August, she won the Downtown Yakima Mile in 4:22, the fastest Mile recorded on Washington state soil, and two weeks later, finished runner-up in the 5th Avenue Mile (4:23).
Nikki opened the 2020 season by winning the indoor Mile at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge, recording 4:29.39, first track sub-4:30 (81st U.S. woman), and in February, finished 5th in the Wanamaker Mile, a 4:24.45 personal record.
In 2019, Nikki won two road races in April: B.A.A. Invite Mile (4:40.1) and Grand Blue Mile (4:29.7, personal, event and USA Championship records); also earned her first national title at Grand Blue. In May at the USATF Distance Classic, Hiltz won the 1500 meters with a PR clocking of 4:07.71, and in June, took the adidas Boost Games Mile, running 4:31.6 in Boston.
At the 2019 USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Nikki placed third in the 1500, with a PR 4:03.55, to earn her first Team USA berth. In August, she won the 1500 gold medal in 4:07.14 at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
Hiltz competed for the University of Oregon & University of Arkansas, where she was 7-time All-American. The Oregon Duck was a 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships team member, and as a Razorback, finished 1500m runner-up at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
In high school, Hiltz won the 2012 California 1600 meter state title with a 4:42.45 clocking.
FUN FACT: Given first name is Dominique.
Photo credit: Chuck LeClaire
U.S. indoor record by St. Pierre, new mother; record four men sub-3:50 indoors same race; Engelhardt national girls Mile records, outdoor and HS-only; men’s road Mile world record shattered, twice; at Iffley Road, 70th anniversary celebration of the first sub-4 by Roger Bannister; three more U.S....
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The top six athletes bettered the old Trials record!
At the Olympic Trials in Eugene, the U.S. women produced an historic 1500 meters. Elle St. Pierre, who earlier won the 5000m, took the pace out from the gun, hitting the first 400 in 61 seconds. In the final thrilling home stretch, Nikki...
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Americans Hiltz, Mackay claim silver, bronze medals in final event
By Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
Ethiopia waited until the closing stages of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 to win their first gold medal of the weekend. But then, like waiting for a bus, two came along...
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Record event prize money awarded; record four U.S. high schoolers sub-4 in same race; Nuguse blasts U.S. indoor & outdoor Mile records; Kipyegon shatters women’s outdoor Mile record, Hiltz U.S. record; official road Mile world records recognized, inaugural road Mile World Championship and more!
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The inaugural records were set at the 2023 Grand Blue Mile in Des Moines, Iowa
From World Athletics
The winning times from this year’s USA Road Mile Championships – 4:27.97 for Nikki Hiltz and 4:01.21 for Sam Prakel – have been ratified as the inaugural world records for the road Mile.
The...
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NBC to broadcast race 1-hour live nationally; USATF.TV to stream event internationally; $32,000 pro prize purse available
From NYRR
NEW YORK – World champion Josh Kerr, U.S. Olympian Elle St. Pierre and American Mile record holder Nikki Hiltz will headline a world class professional athlete...
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The first Kenyan to set the Mile world record; 7 national records as well as all 13 finishers clocked personal records in Monaco
Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics
Was it ever in doubt?
Faith Kipyegon continued to plunder the most revered middle distance marks in the sport, setting her...
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Hiltz sets event and USA Championship records at Grand Blue Mile; $27,500 prize purse awarded
From USATF
DES MOINES – It was an evening of big finishes in Des Moines on Tuesday evening, as Nikki Hiltz and Sam Prakel kicked to victory at the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships hosted by the 14th...
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Grand Blue Mile hosts national title tilt for seventh straight year; $25,000 prize purse with $5000 for each national champion
From Drake Relays
DES MOINES, Iowa -- The USA Track & Field 1 Mile Road Championships, hosted as part of the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue...
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“This will be my first time racing at the Millrose Games, so I am really excited as it has been a competition that I have wanted to do for a long time. I have very fond memories of racing in the City, and I cannot wait to return and tackle the same distance indoors.”
From Millrose Games
As...
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Nick Willis’ record 20th consecutive year sub-4, annual record of first U.S. sub-4 shattered, annual record of U.S. high school sub-4s (5 individuals, 7 times), event prize money increases 34%, official road Mile world championship & world record category announced and more!
By Ryan Lamppa,...
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Record 21 men sub-4 minutes and 18 women sub-4:30; NYPD Running Club and charity runners participate in 9/11 Memorial Mile; more than 8,500 finishers at world’s largest, most iconic road Mile
From NYRR
NEW YORK – Olympians and World Championships medalists Jake Wightman and Laura Muir led a...
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Scaroni, Romanchuk Wheelchair champions; Everett, Reilly Tommy Cochary High School Mile titlists; six men go sub-4; $27,000 in prize money awarded
From Falmouth Road Race
FALMOUTH, Mass. – The present and the future of middle distance running put on a show at the 26th running of the Falmouth...
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Each champion also earns $5000 bonus for North Carolina state record; 12 men go sub-4
From Sir Walter Running
RALEIGH, NC - On a warm, humid summer Friday night with a loud crowd at the 8th Sir Walter Miler, athletes had extra incentive to go after the North Carolina state Mile records held...
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Downtown Pittsburgh’s only evening road race draws more than 1,000 participants and awards $27,600 in prize money
From P3R
PITTSBURGH – At the 11th Fleet Feet Liberty Mile on a warm Friday evening in downtown Pittsburgh, the pro races ended in two thrilling finishes as Vincent Ciattei of...
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Nick Willis’ record 19th consecutive year sub-4, Hobbs Kessler – 12th U.S. high schooler sub-4 – sets prep indoor Mile record, two more father-son sub-4 combo club members and NCAA Indoor champion Cole Hocker leads youth charge highlight another pandemic year
By Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile...
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At 40th edition, nearly 4,000 finishers in 20 heats run, including FDNY / NYPD heat, on 20th anniversary weekend of 9/11; prize purse of $34,000 awarded
From NYRR
NEW YORK - Tokyo Olympians Jake Wightman and Jemma Reekie led a British sweep of the professional athlete races at the 40th...
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Women’s race champion clocks fastest Mile on Washington state soil to collect $5000 bonus
Race reports by Scott Spruill & Luke Thompson, Yakima Herald-Republic & BBTM
YAKIMA, Wash. – Reaching North First Street, Nikki Hiltz knew it was time to go. Or very likely lose.
So when the road Mile...
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"Felt great to be able to close down the last 400, and finish with some confidence 4 weeks out from Trials."
WATERTOWN, Mass. - The 2021 adidas Boost Boston Games kicked off with middle distance action Sunday morning at Watertown outside the city center. The nation’s fastest high schoolers...
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“I’m definitely now very driven to just kind of do it all over again, make the Olympic team and then make the final of the Olympics."
By Sieg Lindstrom, Track & Field News
What a difference a year can make. That’s true by the truckload when 2019 and ’20 are the benchmarks and Miler Nikki...
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German Olympian to face formidable field including American stars Elinor Purrier & Nikki Hiltz and Canadian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford at The Armory; live national NBC broadcast
From NYRR
NEW YORK – Defending champion and World Championship medalist Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany, 2018 NCAA...
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Her chance to make the Tokyo Olympics is solid, but it’s Hiltz’s commitment to staying true to herself from now on that will lead her to the happiest finish lines.
By Erin Strout, Women's Running
It wasn’t until she came out to her family in 2016 that Nikki Hiltz, now 25, started running at...
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Longstanding indoor and outdoor Mile world records broken; Herrera & Kampf BBTM Grand Prix Tour champions and more BBTM Effect!
By Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile
The Bring Back the Mile campaign was launched in January 2012 to elevate & celebrate the storied distance, and over the past 8...
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Four Mile maniacs also win Tour presenting sponsor Running Warehouse $50 gift cards and BBTM swag
Bring Back the Mile, the campaign to elevate & celebrate the iconic distance, has announced the BBTM Grand Prix Tour 2019 two "Best Moments" winners per gender. Click on the athlete name below for...
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“When my career is over and all said and done, I want to be remembered as more than just a good athlete. I believe this motivates me to run faster. The faster I run the more people I’m going to reach and the more lives I can potentially change.”
By Dave Hunter, Track & Field News
Last year,...
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Aptos High alum victorious in first international race in Lima, Peru
By Julie Jag, Santa Cruz Sentinel
It turns out that Nikki Hiltz runs just as fast on international soil as she does at home.
Hiltz of Aptos cruised to victory in the 1500 meters at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, on...
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At Grand Blue Mile, event and championship record for Hiltz, men's photo finish; $27,500 prize purse awarded; also first stop on BBTM Grand Prix Tour presented by Running Warehouse
Contributed by Scott Bush, USATF, and Drake Athletic Communications
DES MOINES, Iowa – Deep fields led to...
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“I think the crowd brought me home and it was a super close finish."
By Juan Reyes, Register-Pajaronian
Nikki Hiltz made her first-ever trip to Boston to compete at the Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile last Saturday and did what she’s been doing throughout her prestigious running...
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“How you deal with the low days determines your success in this sport. It makes you who you are.”
From Runner's World / adidas
Every runner knows that you stand on the podium alone, but getting there takes support. Nikki Hiltz aspires to stand there one day as a top-3 American Miler, but the...
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Dan Gruber raises generations of Milers on the Central California Coast
By Jon Gugala, Bring Back the Mile contributing writer
EDITOR'S NOTE: On June 3, junior Nikki Hiltz won the California State Meet at 1600 meters. Jon Gugala spoke to Hiltz shortly after who commented that "it was the best...
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