For Nikki Hiltz, the last two years of training, trials and triumphs was designed to reach Stade de France Tuesday morning. The U.S. National Champion at 1500 meters and Outsports’ 2023 Nonbinary Athlete of the Year toed the line at the Olympic Games for the first time.
They ended the opening round with the first mission accomplished: Survive and advance.
Hiltz ran calm and smooth to stay within the transfer spots throughout the second heat and powered to a third place finish to move on to Thursday’s semifinals at 4 minutes, 42 seconds. They also walked awat from the track with a confidence boost by surging down the final straight to pass event world record holder Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who is considered a favorite to win gold.
“I can officially call myself an Olympian now,” a happy Hiltz told NBC Sports after the heat. “It’s been a lot about patience this last month and today in the race: ‘be patient’.”
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Their advancement was part of a successful start for the Team USA group in the event. Emily MacKay took the last automatic qualifying spot in a first heat that was faster than expected. Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay and Tokyo silver medalist Laura Muir of Great Britain pushed the pace in a heat where all six qualifiers ended up under 4 minutes. Elle St. Pierre ended up third in heat three and all earned a day off from Wednesday’s last-chance repechage round.
Next for Hiltz are Thursday’s semifinals, where the vibe is expected to be a mix of tactics and speed. The goal there is to gain a spot into the final race of the event on August 10 that some analysts feel will threaten to break Kipyegon’s one-month-old world record.
Hiltz, who came out as transgender and nonbinary on Trans Day of Visibility in 2021, reinvented themselves as an athlete in 2022 and has been on a relentless upward climb since a breakout 2023 season.
Hiltz said they are enthused about playing a middle-distance chess game Thursday.
“I get excited for the rounds because its a game out there,” they said. “It’s a tactical game and the final’s probably going to be fast, which is a fun thing in itself. I think it’s just so fun play the game, so I’m hoping to bring out my inner child again on Thursday.”
