Nico Young
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | American |
Born | July 27, 2002 |
Home town | Camarillo, California |
Sport | |
Country | United States |
Sport | Track and Field |
Events | |
University team | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks |
Coached by | Sean Brosnan (2016-2020) Michael Smith (2020-Present) |
Medal record |
Nicolas Young (born July 27, 2002) is an American Long-distance runner who competes for Northern Arizona University. He is a two-time NCAA champion having won both the 3000 m and 5000 m at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. He also holds the collegiate records in the 5000 m (12:57.14) and 10,000 m (26:52.72), both set in 2024.[1][2]
Athletic career[edit]
High school career[edit]
Young ran for Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California. He broke the 3 mile cross country American high school record at the 2019 Woodbridge Invitational, running a time of 13:39.7,[3] and lowered the American high school indoor 3000m record (previously held by Drew Hunter), running a time of 7:56.91.[4] At the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, Young won the race and set the course record with a time of 14:52[5] and led Newbury Park to the team victory. Young was named the 2019-20 XC National Gatorade Player of the Year[1] and the 2019-20 Track and Field National Gatorade Player of the Year.[1] He was the first to sweep both awards in the same season. His brother Leo picked up the California version of the Cross Country award in 2022.
Collegiate career[edit]
2020–2021[edit]
During the 2020 cross country season, Young placed 4th place at the 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:58.3[6] at the 10 km distance, the highest a true freshman has placed since 2013. He set an American junior record in the 5000m at the 2021 Drake Relays with a time of 13:24.26.[7] With this time he qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he ran 13:35.94 and finished 9th.[8]
2021–2022[edit]
Later that year, Young placed 11th at the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:57.5, but he also would lower the American junior record in the indoor 5000m with a time of 13:22.59 at the BU Season Opener on December 4, 2021.
In 2022, Young placed 3rd in the 5000m and 7th in the 3000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.
On May 6, Young ran 13:11.30 at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, which is the fastest 5000m ever run by an American teenager and the 3rd fastest outdoor 5000m in collegiate history.[9] He would end up placing 3rd in the 5000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Young placed 8th in the 5000m, running a time of 13:19.15.
2022–2023[edit]
During the 2022 cross country season, Young would set a 10 km personal best of 28:01 at the NCAA Division I Mountain Region Cross Country Championships on November 11, 2022, before placing 2nd at the 2022 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:44.5. Two weeks later, Young lowered his indoor 5000m personal best to 13:15.25 at the BU Season Opener on December 3, 2022, finishing 5th in a field of collegiate and professional runners.
2023-2024[edit]
Young placed 6th at the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:04.2.
On January 26, 2024, at Boston University's John Thomas Terrier Classic, Young placed 2nd to Adrian Wildschutt's 12:56.76 in the men's 5000m White Heat, with a new personal best time of 12:57.14, defeating the 13:00.00 barrier, setting a new NCAA record, and hitting the Paris 2024 Olympics' qualifying standard of 13:05.00.[10][11][12]
On March 8, Young won his first NCAA individual title at the 2024 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships over 5000m. His last three 200m laps were recorded at 28.47, 27.10, and 27.29 seconds, respectively.[13] He followed up the victory the next day with a NCAA title at 3000m in 7:41.01. North Carolina's Parker Wolfe finished second in both events, but was not within a second of Young in either.
Just one week after his double-gold performance at The Track at New Balance in Boston, Young made his debut in the 10,000 m on the track, competing at The TEN in San Juan Capistrano with the goal of achieving the Olympic qualifying standard of 27:00.00.[14] Finishing in second place behind American-record holder Grant Fisher, Young broke the collegiate record[15] of 27:08.49 set by Sam Chelanga, and hit the Olympic standard, running a time of 26:52.72.[16][17]Later that month, on March 25, Young announced he had signed an NIL deal with adidas.[18]
Personal achievements[edit]
High school personal bests[edit]
Event | Time | Date | Location | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outdoor | 800 m | 2:06.8h | April 23, 2018 | Newbury Park, California | |
1600 m | 4:07.33+ | March 23, 2019 | Azusa, California | ||
Mile | 4:08.82 | March 23, 2019 | Azusa, California | ||
3000 m | 8:11.02+ | April 6, 2019 | Arcadia, California | ||
3200 m | 8:40.00 | April 6, 2019 | Arcadia, California | ||
5000 m | 13:50.55 | June 23, 2020 | Portland, Oregon | ||
Indoor | 1500 m | 3:58.64+ | January 29, 2019 | Boston, Massachusetts | |
Mile | 4:14.92 | January 26, 2019 | Boston, Massachusetts | ||
3000 m | 7:56.97 | February 8, 2020 | New York City, New York | High School Record | |
XC | 3 miles | 13:39.7 | September 20–21, 2019 | Norco, California | Former High School Record |
5 km | 14:28.5 | November 30, 2019 | Fresno, California |
College personal bests[edit]
Event | Time | Date | Location | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outdoor | 800 m | 1:47.65 | April 27, 2024 | Tucson, Arizona | |
1500 m | 3:37.75 | April 15, 2022 | Azusa, California | ||
5000 m | 13:11.30 | May 6, 2022 | San Juan Capistrano, California | ||
10,000 metres | 26:52.72 | March 16, 2024 | San Juan Capistrano, California | Collegiate record | |
Indoor | 800 m | 1:54.21A | January 21, 2022 | Flagstaff, Arizona | |
Mile | 3:56.00 | January 29, 2022 | Seattle, Washington | ||
5000 m | 12:57.14 | January 26, 2024 | Boston, Massachusetts | Collegiate record | |
XC | 8 km | 22:30.8 | February 9, 2021 | North Las Vegas, Nevada | |
10 km | 28:01.8 | November 20, 2021 | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Nico Young - Track & Field". Northern Arizona University Athletics. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "College Runner Nico Young Comes Out As Gay in Emotional Instagram Post". www.out.com. September 1, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
- ^ Ochsner, Steve. "Best All-Time Boys Individual (SilverLakes course)". Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ S, Rich; s. "High School 3000 Record Falls To Nico Young". Track & Field News. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Nike Cross Nationals", Wikipedia, September 24, 2021, retrieved September 26, 2021
- ^ Curley, Joe. "Nico Young to complete memorable freshman collegiate year at Olympic Trials". Ventura County Star. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Nico Young Posts Breakthrough Performance at Drake Relays". Northern Arizona University Athletics. April 23, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ Newman, Eric. "Northern Arizona runner Nico Young reflects on freshman season". Arizona Daily Sun. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ Mull, Cory (May 7, 2022). "Lex Young, Colin Sahlman Generate Historic 5K, 1,500 Efforts". MileSplit United States. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ^ "Athletics track & combined events at Paris 2024: The entry standards".
- ^ "Track Scoreboard". live.lancertiming.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Men's Indoor Collegiate Records". Track & Field News. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Indoor/2024/007-1-01.htm
- ^ Sound Running’s The TEN Sees Fastest 10,000m On U.S. Soil And 12 Runners Under Olympic Standard - Nico Young, Northern Arizona University - 26:52.72
- ^ Nico Young Breaks Collegiate 10,000-Meter Record to Begin Outdoor Season Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
- ^ - Gebreselama and Fisher Highlight The TEN Sound Running with Record Breaking Performances - Nico Young - Northern Arizona University 26:52.72
- ^ Grant Fisher, Nico Young lead eight under Olympic 10,000 standard Daily Breeze
- ^ "Excited to Announce". Instagram. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
External links[edit]
- 2002 births
- Living people
- American male long-distance runners
- People from Camarillo, California
- Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's track and field athletes
- Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's cross country runners
- Track and field athletes from California
- American gay sportsmen
- United States collegiate record holders in athletics (track and field)