An elite field is set to race this weekend at the US Championships in the men’s 1500 meters. The US men have drastically improved over the last couple years over 1500m. There is a deep field of athletes that could obtain one of those three coveted spots to represent the United States on the world stage. In this field, there are four headliners that stick out: Yared Nuguse, Cooper Teare, Cole Hocker, and Hobbs Kessler. This thrilling matchup will take place on July 8 at 6:45 PST.
A Stacked Regular Season
The US men in the 1500m have certainly stepped up big this season, showcasing that they are not afraid to race each other as well as the best in the world.
It is setting up for a thrilling US Championship race on Saturday. The athletes will race for three spots on team USA to go race at the World Championships.
Two of the heaviest hitters in the field, Cooper Teare and Hobbs Kessler, have already raced each other over 1500m. Kessler took a narrow win, but both came away with freshly minted 3:32 personal bests.
Yared Nuguse has stuck himself in with the best in the world. He has run two Diamond League 1500m races. Both included numerous world and Olympic medalists. Nuguse navigated well in both fields, finishing second and third.
More of the top-end US 1500m runners have not been afraid to race each other. Just last week, Empire Elite’s Eric Holt took down a loaded 1500m field at the New York City Grand Prix. He has certainly proven that he can compete with almost anyone in the US currently.
What ultimately stands out about this regular season is the level of competition that US 1500m runners have been putting themselves in. It seems that nobody is afraid of going up against each other and the best in the world. There seems to be a new sense of hunger from all of these athletes to make a statement on the national and world stages.
The Big Four
So far this season, there have been four athletes that seem to stand out the most. Given that only three athletes make the team, at least one of them will be staying home for the World Championships in Budapest.
Yared Nuguse is coming into the US Championships as the favorite for the 1500m crown. Nuguse has already put together a spectacular season from indoors until now. He has broken three American records, one of which is the 1500m itself. He ran 3:29.02 to place third in the Oslo Diamond League. Perhaps what is most impressive is how well his kick puts him in there with some of the best in the world.
Cooper Teare is the reigning US 1500m Champion, so clearly he is in the conversation for this team. He joined The Bowerman Track Club in the off season, and has already set PBs from 1500m to 3000m. Teare is already in top-tier form. He is a nasty tactician who has a unique skillset as he is coming down from 5000m. It provides him with that strength to combat the speed endurance of other athletes.
Cole Hocker is coming in off of an off-season riddled with injuries. This did not stop him from performing extremely well in his season opener in June. Hocker came in a narrowly tight second place in 3:34. He stated afterward that he would have been thrilled with anything under 3:39. His lethal kick seemed reminiscent of his sixth place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, in which he shredded the field down over the final lap.
One interesting piece about Cooper Teare and Cole Hocker is that the two were teammates in college and trained together for a year professionally. It adds an extra bit of rivalry between the two as they battle to the line. It also means that each knows each others’ tendencies, making the race that much more intense.
Hobbs Kessler is the final athlete who rounds out the ‘Big Four’ of this race. Kessler is very young at only 20 years old, but has already proven that he can compete with the best. He ran a PB of 3:32 over 1500m earlier in the season, and even beat the reigning US Champion, Cooper Teare. He also ran a big over-distance PB this past indoor season with a 7:39 over 3000m. His improved strength combined with his newly minted 1:45.8 800m speed makes him a serious threat in this field.
Potential Upsets?
There are several other athletes that could make moves into the top three. It will be a thin line between making and missing this team.
The previously mentioned Eric Holt of Empire Track Club Elite has taken on the ‘underdog’ narrative of US distance running. He is red hot coming into this race and has made it clear just how motivated he is to make that team in Budapest. Coming off of a big win at the NYC Grand Prix, he is ready to go.
Another athlete to keep an eye on is the ever-popular Craig Engels. Engels won the 2019 US title over 1500m and is certainly hoping to add another title. He made a coaching change last year back to his college coach, Ryan Vanhoy. Engels’ new system seems to be keeping him healthy. It could be the year that Engels returns to that USA jersey.
When there is an Olympic Champion in the field, they can never be counted out. Matthew Centrowitz will be an athlete to watch coming off of his surgery last year. He has been making a comeback all season long and has raced several times with a season’s best of 3:36 over 1500m. Could Centrowitz make a push and find himself on yet another US team?
There are several other athletes to mention that could make a push for the World Championships team as well. There is always a chance that a new athlete could step up into one of those podium spots. That is what makes post season so exciting, who steps up when it matters the most?
A Thriller on Deck
To put it simply, the US Men’s 1500m Championship will be a thriller. There are so many young stars breaking out onto the scene right now that could challenge for the throne. It will be a battle to the line.
The race could be a slow tactical affair with a blistering last lap, or it could be a barn-burner from the front and end with a fast time. There are just so many skillsets that the athletes bring into this race that make it one to pay close attention to.
When it comes down to it, this race is a battle to represent the USA at the World Championships in Budapest. To make this team is one of the highest honors in the sport, so expect absolute battles on the track to wear that jersey.
Tune into CNBC at 6:45 pst. on July 8 to see all of the action.
Stay tuned for further professional Track & Field content, including meet previews, race analysis, and season projections.
Check out The Game Haus for more sports and esports articles written by our other great TGH like Kyle!
“From Our Haus to Yours”