Nikki Hiltz, a biological female who identifies as transgender non-binary, qualified for the U.S. Olympic team on Sunday after winning the women’s 1,500-meter race at the trials over the weekend.
Hiltz set the meet record with their run. Hiltz clocked in at 3 minutes and 55.53 seconds, breaking the mark set by Elle St. Pierre in 2021. Hiltz also won the 1,500-meter race at the 2023 U.S. Championships.
“I told myself, I’m not going to think about all the love and support (I have) until 100 meters to go,’” Hiltz said, via Runner’s World. “And then, at that moment, you can let it all fill you up and push you to the finish line.’ That’s exactly what I did, and I think that’s what brought me home.”
“I literally can’t believe it. I mean, this is bigger than me,” Hiltz said in an interview with NBC Sports. “It’s the last day of Pride month.
I wanted to run this one for my community, and yeah, all the LGBTQ folks. You guys brought me home that last hundred [meters]. I could just feel the love and support.”
Hiltz raced collegiately at Oregon and Arkansas in the mid-2000 and was an All-American in 2018. Hiltz won a silver medal in the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and a gold in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
