Hocker, Nuguse and Young finish within 0.04 in the USATF Indoor 3000 m

The USATF Indoor Championships opened on Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, and the men's 3000 m was as close as a distance race gets. Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse and Nico Young each led at some point on the last lap. Hocker won in 7:39.25, Nuguse was second in 7:39.28 and Young third in 7:39.29. Four hundredths of a second across three men after 15 laps. Morgan Beadlescomb, 7:40.83, and Sam Prakel, 7:40.92, were next.

It completed a February for Hocker that had no equal: the Millrose two mile on the first day of the month, the 3:45.94 mile in Winston-Salem on the 14th, and now a national title at 3000 m on the 28th.

Emily Mackay won the women's 3000 m in 8:30.01, a meet record and a personal best, from Elle St. Pierre, 8:31.07, with Margot Appleton third in 8:41.41, Lexy Halladay-Lowry fourth and Elise Cranny fifth.

Chase Jackson put the shot 20.44 m, an American indoor record and her sixth indoor national title. Zach Bradford cleared 6.01 m in the pole vault, a personal best and a meet record, and became the sixth American over six metres; KC Lightfoot was second. Dylan Beard won the 60 m hurdles in 7.37, equal to the world lead, from Trey Cunningham, 7.40. Alia Armstrong took the women's hurdles in 7.82, Charity Hufnagel the high jump at 1.96 m and Jasmine Moore the long jump at 6.86 m.

The meet picked the team for the World Indoors in Toruń three weeks later. A 3000 m decided by hundredths is a hard way to miss a team, and a fine way to make one.

Sources: RunBlogRun; FloTrack.