American transgender middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz has qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games with a record-breaking performance in the women’s 1,500-meter final. Hiltz finished the race in first place with a time of 3:55.33 at the U.S. Olympic track & field trials, held at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field. This time surpassed Elle St. Pierre’s 2021 U.S. trials record of 3:58.03.
In an Instagram post, Hiltz, who uses they/them pronouns, described the moment as “a childhood dream of mine” that came true. They expressed gratitude to their supporters, saying, “All I know is today I’m waking up just so grateful for my people, overwhelmed by all the love and support, and filled with joy that I get to race people I deeply love and respect around a track for a living.” This will be the 29-year-old’s first trip to the Olympics, having previously won a silver medal at the Indoor World Championships earlier this year.
Sunday’s race took place on the last day of Pride Month, adding significance to the monumental moment for Hiltz. In a post-race interview with NBC Sports, Hiltz said the accomplishment is “bigger than just me.” They added, “I wanted to run this for my community. All of the LGBT folks, yeah, you guys brought me home that last hundred. I could just feel the love and support.” The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on July 26, 2024, in Paris, France.
Hiltz, a transgender and nonbinary middle-distance runner, qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris by running the second-fastest time of any American in the women’s 1500-meter race on Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Using the pronouns they/them, Hiltz surged ahead of Elle St. Pierre and Emily Mackay in the last lap, setting a trials record with a time of 3:55:33. Hiltz claimed that Elle St. Pierre, the top-finishing American and third-place finisher in the women’s 1500 at the Tokyo Olympics, motivated them and the other competitors to race faster. With a first lap time of 61 seconds, St. Pierre led the race for the majority of its duration. On Sunday, Pierre and Emily Mackay, who placed second, both earned spots in the Paris Olympics.
Hiltz said in a Monday social media post that their qualification for the Olympics in Paris fulfilled a childhood goal of theirs. “I’m not sure when this will fully sink in,” they wrote. “All I know is today I’m waking up just so grateful for my people, overwhelmed by all the love and support, and filled with joy that I get to race people I deeply love and respect around a track for a living.”
Hiltz won’t be the first athlete who identifies as nonbinary to compete in the Olympics. Quinn, a soccer player from Canada, made history by being the first openly transgender and nonbinary athlete to compete in the 2022 Tokyo Olympics. Later, when Canada defeated Sweden 3-2 on penalty kicks, they became the first transgender athlete to win an Olympic medal.
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.” Hiltz also noted that it was the last day of Pride month.
“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 continued their celebration on Monday. “Woke up an Olympian,” they said.
Nikki 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. Hiltz raced collegiately at Oregon and Arkansas in the mid-2000 and was an All-American in 2018. Hiltz came out about their sexuality at age 19, and at age 26, they came out about their gender identity.
Hiltz’s partner is another groundbreaking athlete, Emma Gee, who was the first out LGBTQ+ athlete to compete for Brigham Young University. Like many distance runners, the two are based in Flagstaff, Arizona, where they are frequently seen running the area’s many trails. Track Town USA has referred to Gee and Hiltz as one of the sport’s ‘power couples.’
The feat was shared by Megan Rapinoe amid backlash over her stance on trans athletes. Rapinoe’s celebration, however, came after she was silenced by a reporter asking about her stance on trans athletes competing in women’s sports. During the Pride Month celebrations in Seattle, the retired midfielder was approached by reporter Katie Daviscourt from the Post Millennial. ‘Your US Women’s Soccer team famously lost to high school boys… do you really think it’s fair for these same boys to be competing in girls’ sports?’ Daviscourt asked. Midway through the question, Rapinoe is seen laughing at the reporter, before turning to her fiancée, Sue Bird, and muttering under her breath, ‘Oh my god’. Despite being blocked, Daviscourt continues: ‘Do you think it’s fair? Why should trans people compete against young girls? Do you think they’re gonna get hurt?’ Rapinoe, who has loudly advocated for trans athletes – was met with backlash for her silence when questioned on her stance.
Hiltz’s situation, however, differs as they have maintained their biological gender from a physical standpoint. Nevertheless, the runner celebrated their Olympic qualification – which happened on the last day of Pride Month. ‘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 told 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.’
Source: CBS News, KPTV, Fox News
