Hocker 3:45.94 NRi/WL (3:30.80 NRi/WL), Lutkenhaus 1:44.03 U20WRi
WINSTON-SALEM (USA, Feb 14): Olympic champion Cole Hocker stormed to a new overall lifetime best, US short-track record and a world lead of 3:45.94, second fastest time indoors ever, in the one mile at the Asics Sound Invite (WIT Silver). Improving his previous best from last year’s Pre Classic by 1.49 sec., Hocker also clocked his short-track best of 3:30.80 NR/WL (second in the indoor all-time lists) in the 1500m split. Cooper Teare finished distance second (3:50.49, 3:34:35 PBi) ahead of Vincent Ciattei (3:51.70, 3:33.74 PB), 16-year-old New Zealander Sam Ruthe faded to seventh in the last lap (3:52.46).
17-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus, showed another superb performance when winning the 800m in a U20 short-track world record of 1:44.03 over St.Vincent’s Handal Roban (1:44.73 NRi). Nico Young improved to 7:33.32 in the 3000m to win over Yared Nuguse (7:33.78) and Ethan Strand (7:35.29), steeplechase World champion Geordie Beamish finished seventh (7:39.79). Fast women’ 800m by Sage Hurta-Klecker in 1:58.78 PBi ahead of Olivia Baker (1:59.18 PBi), Valery Tobias (1:59.30 PB) and Natoya Goule-Toppin (1:59.47). Nikki Hiltz won the 3000m in 8:34.98 from Sinclaire Johnson (8:35.48 PB), Kenya’s Susan Ejore (8:37.84 PB), Kayley DeLay (8:39.72 PB) and Shelby Houlihan (8:39.97). Emily Mackay topped the women’s mile in 4:22.43 PB (4:06.47 in 1500m split) over Sadie Engelhardt (4:23.84 PB), and Annie Rodenfels the 5000m (15:13.72). Andrew Hunter won the men’s 5000m in 13:10.87 PBi from Abdihamid Nur (13:11.59) and Gulveer Singh of India (13:15.84). In the one mile B-race, Paul Specht of Germany improved to 3:52.95.
