Latest news with #MillroseGames
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
This Track Athlete Used To Work The Deli Counter At Walmart. Now He's One Of USA's Best Hurdlers
USA's Dylan Beard celebrates after winning of the men's 110 hurdles event during the Grand Slam ... More Track competition at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 5, 2025. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) When Dylan Beard's final season of college eligibility was up and his professional track and field dream was still alive, he called on an Angel. His Aunt Angel, to be specific. It was right around a year ago, when the Maryland native had found a coach in North Carolina but was without a steady place to stay, that Beard turned to his aunt in Wake Forest, who decades earlier had lived just two blocks from his house as a child in Maryland. Over a year later, he says, that lifeline may have been the difference between a regular life and one as a professional athlete. 'She took me in with open arms, even though she didn't understand it,' said Beard, who will compete at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix on Sunday in Japan. 'That was the big thing. She asked, 'OK, what are we trying to do? I'm here. Let's get after it.' 'If I hadn't been able to stay with her,' he continued, 'we wouldn't be talking right now.' Beard's story of perseverance is well known. The two-time Millrose Games indoor 60 meter hurdles champion worked the deli counter at Wal-Mart – during his stay in North Carolina – before his big break. But maybe even that is selling him short. He's currently ranked eighth in the world at the 110 meter hurdle distance with a time of 13.21, and in April he finished second in the men's short hurdles category during the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, Jamaica, winning $50,000 for his efforts. While the 26-year-old Beard hasn't yet qualified for a U.S. Olympic or World Championship team, the former HBCU hurdler from Howard University has transformed into one of the nation's best. And he's done so in near anonymity. His time may be coming soon. 'Little old me, coming into the meet,' said Beard, who now lives in Atlanta, Georgia and trains under Nat Page, 'I used to just be happy to be here. Now I feel like I have a place and my foot in the ground next to these guys.' Beard is no household name yet, but to be fair, his start to professional track and field began later than most. After finding his way to Howard University – which included a gap year in 2021 – following stops at Wagner and Hampton, he finished his college eligibility with the Bison in 2023. Training under Olympic medalist and former World Champion hurdler David Oliver certainly had its advantages, but almost no one knew who Beard was when he stepped to the line of the Millrose Games in February of 2024 and broke a facility record. For almost a year starting out on the professional circuit, Beard lived with his aunt in Wake Forest, commuting to Raleigh on a daily basis to train. With limited financial support, he often found himself working at Walmart, and then navigating logistical hurdles. 'My first meet, I drove four hours to Blacksburg, Virginia,' Beard said of the Hokie Invitational last year. 'It was in a near snow storm.' Beard quickly learned what kind of barriers exist for athletes operating on the fringes of a professional contract. Finding a coach was difficult at first. Then, 'I allowed some wear and tear on my body,' he said. 'I also did not realize how difficult it was to travel.' Fortunately, his persistence paid off. Qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June, Beard ran a time of 13.19 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles – which was his second-best effort on the year and among two performances under 13.20, which put him at No. 12 in the world by season's end – and moved to the semifinals of the event. Unfortunately, his 2024 dreams would end there, as he bowed out in the semifinals. Still, Beard's moment in the sun had a shelf life. Behind a small sponsorship from Walmart, he traveled to Paris and Hungary in July, competing internationally for the first time. Those luxuries weren't lost on him. 'For me personally, the idea was never to be sponsored by Wal-Mart,' he said. 'I just had to make ends meet.' MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Dylan Beard of United States of America reacts after winning in the ... More Men's 60m Hurdles Semifinal during the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold Madrid 25 at Polideportivo Gallur on February 28, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images) Beard's ambitions furthered this fall when a larger sponsorship was finalized by Sam's Club – the company is owned by Walmart but operates independently – allowing the 26-year-old to train full-time and compete throughout the season. While Beard couldn't disclose the financials of his sponsorship deal, he said the company is 'investing in me, partnering with me' and is working with him to realize his hopes. Beard still works in the seasonal department of Walmart part time – in Georgia now – though he says his full focus is on the track. Maybe one day, he says, he could 'work on the corporate side of Walmart. I'm open-minded to that.' At the first Grand Slam Track meet, on a line that saw his competitors littered with Nike and Adidas jerseys, Beard beamed in bright blue, the Sam's Club logo etched in the top right corner of his top. 'I like the idea of my kit being a 1-of-1,' Beard said. Beard hasn't thought much deeper on the non-traditional path he's clearing ahead for athletes in the future. But there's no doubt the partnership with a non-linear sponsor could be the way of the future for track and field athletes. 'My story is a little different from everyone else,' Beard said, 'But I'm still on the line and competing against these guys.' In the meantime, he has his nose to the ground. 'Right now, I'm just really grinding on the track,' Beard said. 'I started my pro career at 25 years old. I'm trying to get my best years out of this. Hopefully I can get another seven to eight years out of this.' That first Grand Slam Track meet was, in many ways, Beard's breakout. Running nearly flawlessly through the line in that 110 meter hurdle race in Kingston, he stopped the clock at 13.29 seconds, winning by five-hundredths of a second. When he followed a day later with a time of 10.67 at 100 meters, earning a third-place performance and securing his second-place finish in the category, it was a nice little bow on his two-day efforts. His $50,000 prize winnings was the most he had ever won in a competition – and $46,000 more than his biggest haul previously at the Millrose Games in 2025. But importantly, Beard said, he did not run the flat distance outside his comfort zone, knowing any adjustments could throw off his 110 meter timing. 'I wasn't really focused on the 100,' Beard said. 'My coach and I talked about it and I was going to keep the same stride frequency. We didn't want to open up or anything.' After three days, another important matter beckoned. Would he be back for round two in Miami? Within the Grand Slam Track ecosystem, only 'racers' were afforded guaranteed spots on the line over all four events in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Knowing an excellent effort went a long way in securing a future lane, Beard tapped his agent Keith Rucker on the shoulder. 'I said, 'Hey, we're here,'' Beard said. ''Ask them if we can come back.'' Beard ultimately didn't know that he'd be back on the line until receiving a phone call weeks later – in Miami, he finished sixth, winning another $15,000. In total, Beard has secured $73,250 in prize money over the 2025 season. That being said, the hurdler has made his own path this season, too. Since December, he's competed across four states and five countries, including World Athletics Indoor Tour events in Poland, Kazakhstan and Spain.. He has raced 22 times in 2025 alone. His next meet in Japan on Sunday will be his sixth stop in another country. 'I've gone over it with my coach many times,' Beard said. 'And he's just like, 'Hey, if you want to run, we're going to run.' I'm all about running. I'm all about competing.' Progress has taken the form of success. Beard reached his first U.S. final in February, finishing sixth in the men's 60 meter hurdles. But in time, to realize his hopes of competing against the best in the world, he'll have to chase after a performance under 13 seconds for the 110 meter hurdles. A total of 16 Americans have gone under that threshold all-time, while 26 have done it globally. Beard's personal best time of 13.10 seconds ranks 29th all-time in the U.S. 'Right now, I'm in the space of getting my foot in the door,' Beard said. 'I haven't made any teams. I haven't won any medals. I'm still building up. I'm still learning within the sport. The goal is to be competitive, to beat these guys. But there's still a lot to process ahead.' Building a reputation, Beard says, will take time. But once that happens, things might start to fall in place. 'I'm a guy who's like, if they see me in a race, I want them to think, 'If I don't lock in real quick, he might whoop my ass on the track,'' Beard said. 'That's where I'm trying to build. That's one of those things that's not given. I have to earn it for myself.'
NBC Sports
17-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
USA TRACK & FIELD AND NBC SPORTS ANNOUNCE MEDIA RIGHTS EXTENSION THROUGH 2028
NBC Sports Remains Home of USATF's Top Events, Such as the USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships, Prefontaine Classic, and Millrose Games INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – March 17, 2025 – NBC Sports will continue to present USA Track & Field's most prestigious events on NBC and Peacock through 2028, as USATF and NBC Sports today announced a multi-year extension of their partnership. Every year until 2028, NBC Sports will present USATF's premier indoor and outdoor events on NBC. Peacock will stream all linear content as well as additional digital-only USATF programming. NBC Sports' commitment to USATF properties such as the USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships – as well as invitational events such as the Prefontaine Classic and Millrose Games – is in addition to its coverage of the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials and Los Angeles Olympic Games. 'Our partnership with NBC has been invaluable to USATF and the sport to elevate track and field on the global stage,' said USATF CEO Max Siegel. 'Over the years, NBC has consistently delivered world-class coverage which showcases the talent, dedication and passion that make our sport so special. Extending this partnership through 2028 will be key in deepening our connections with fans as we eagerly look ahead to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.' 'We are thrilled to extend our long-term partnership with USATF and collaborate more closely than ever with Max and his team to showcase this incredible generation of track and field stars for another four years,' said Joe Gesue, SVP, NBC Sports Olympic & Paralympic Programming. 'The team's dominant performance at the Paris Olympics, where American track & field athletes won a stunning 34 medals and 14 golds across a wide variety of events, demonstrates the extraordinary depth of talent in the sport, and we are fired up to share their stories on the road to the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles.' Team USA Track & Field earned 34 medals – 14 of them gold – at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the most of any country. It was the ninth consecutive Olympics that the U.S. has won the track & field medal count, and their most medals earned since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (40). NBC Sports also presents the World Athletics Indoor and Outdoor Championships, World Athletics Relays, World Cross Country Championships, and is the exclusive streaming home of Grand Slam Track. NBC Sports is also the U.S. media home of the Olympic Games through 2032. ABOUT NBC SPORTS NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering and presenting many of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Big Ten Conference, Big East Conference, Notre Dame, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television's No. 1 show for 14 consecutive years. ABOUT USATF USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running, race walking, and para track and field in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country's No. 1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit --NBC SPORTS--
CBC
16-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Moh Ahmed half marathon debut delayed again in NYC due to injuries
Moh Ahmed's long-awaited debut in the half marathon is back on hold. The Canadian distance runner was scratched from Sunday's 21.1-kilometre race in New York City due to back spasms and adductor issues suffered this week in his final workout. Adductors are a group of muscles that bring the leg inward towards the body. "He is deeply disappointed to not be able to line up against yet another fantastic field," Ahmed's agent, Dan Lilot of Aurum Sports Group, wrote in a statement to race organizer, New York Road Runners. "[He] hopes to be invited back to the Big Apple in the future." Ahmed, 34, also withdrew from a half marathon in Houston 14 months ago after tweaking his hamstring/hip flexor in his last pre-race workout. Last week, Ahmed's longtime coach Jerry Schumacher told CBC Sports the St. Catharines, Ont., native was healthy and in great shape after a minor foot issue forced Ahmed to withdraw in January from the men's indoor 3,000 at the Millrose Games in NYC. Schumacher expects Ahmed to compete outdoors on the track this season, including the 5,000 and/or 10,000 metres in Tokyo at the World Athletics Championships in September, since he has met the qualifying times. At the Paris Olympics last August, Ahmed's appeal was rejected after he was tripped late in his 5,000 heat. The Canadian opened his fourth Olympics with a fourth-place finish in the 10,000. WATCH | Paris 2024 Olympic 10,000m final: But talk of the 2021 Olympic silver medallist making the transition to road racing has never been louder. Ahmed, who won last year's Ottawa 10-kilometre road race, has discussed the half marathon with Schumacher for six or seven years, but Ahmed either couldn't fit the race in his schedule or was injured. Three other Canadians were healthy and in fine form early Sunday morning, led by Ben Flanagan, who battled the fog, wet conditions and a bit of humidity to place seventh among elite men in 61 minutes 31 seconds on a challenging course in his first NYC half and fifth overall. His personal best is one hour one minute. Andrew Davies of Sarnia, Ont., was 16th (1:04:09) in his NYC Half debut five weeks after lowering his PB by 14 seconds to 1:03:05 in the Vancouver First Half Marathon. Tristan Woodfine, who hails from Cobden, Ont., went 1:04:32 for 20th. The 31-year-old was sixth (1:03:50) in NYC a year ago, a little over a minute shy of his 1:02:40 best, set in Boston in November 2023. Flanagan will take some time off awaiting the arrival of his baby daughter, the 30-year-old's first child with wife Hannah, before beginning a long block of marathon training. Flanagan, who made his Olympic debut last summer in the 5,000, is eyeing a fall marathon, perhaps the Toronto Waterfront event.
CNN
05-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
From ‘scrawny' teenager to the ‘ultimate competitor,' Yared Nuguse has had a wild, unexpected journey to the top of running
Yared Nuguse never dreamed of being a professional runner, let alone an Olympic medalist. Aged 14, his sporting achievements amounted to a spot on the high school bowls team, while his modest career plans involved becoming a dentist. But life has a funny way of taking unlikely turns, our hidden talents unearthed in places we never expect. For a teenage Nuguse, 'scrawny' and with little care for sports, the idea that he would one day become an elite middle-distance athlete – and among the best in the world, no less – was laughable. It's a good job, then, that he took it upon himself to blaze around the running track in a high school mile race, all in the name of getting an A in PE. Looking on at the time, his teacher saw who he hoped would be the track team's latest recruit. 'He was quite convincing, fortunately, and he got me to join the team,' Nuguse tells CNN Sport. 'And from then on, I just fell in love with running.' After showing early promise as a high school student in Louisville, Kentucky, Nuguse competed for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning an NCAA title in the 1,500 meters in 2019. From there, a career in running beckoned, along with the fitting label of 'America's accidental champion.' 'It's been a crazy journey, one that I never really saw coming or expected,' says Nuguse. 'But it's one that I'm really glad I gave a chance because I would be in a completely different space right now if I hadn't. 'Running has just been changing my life in many amazing ways, and I've been really, really happy for it, and happy that my track coach in high school was able to convince me.' Even today, Nuguse struggles to get his head around the path his life has taken, still failing to see himself as a natural runner. He doesn't consider himself a sporty person and talks about how his 'long, windy stride' can make him click heels with competitors during races. But his achievements on the track are testament to his enormous talent and work ethic. In one of the most eagerly anticipated events of last year's Paris Olympics, Nuguse took bronze in the 1,500m, bested by compatriot Cole Hocker and – by the slimmest of margins – Britain's Josh Kerr. It was a sprint finish for the ages. He then beat Hocker, Kerr and Norway's two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, this generation's most decorated middle distance athlete, a month later at a Diamond League meet in Zurich, a race billed as a repeat of the enthralling tussle in Paris. Between those four athletes, this is a compelling era for men's middle-distance running, and Nuguse is a key protagonist. He produced one of the standout performances of his career in New York last month, defending his indoor mile title at the Millrose Games with a world record time of 3:46.63. It took just five days for Ingebrigtsen to get the record for himself – and by more than a second, too – before Nuguse fell short in another record attempt in Boston last week. 'He's really good at breaking records and doing what he does,' Nuguse says about Ingebrigtsen, speaking before his run in Boston. 'Honestly, I was happy for him. It's a little bit of a bummer, but at the end of the day, records are meant to be broken in a lot of ways. 'I think what Jakob does really well is he elevates the sport, elevates what everyone else thinks they're capable of doing by going out and running these crazy times.' You won't hear many athletes say such kind words about their rivals, most of all Ingebrigtsen and Kerr. Those two have been trading barbs for years, and it's not without a touch of irony that, for all the trash-talking, the Olympic 1,500m final saw the rise of their American rivals, both softly-spoken and understated. Nuguse couldn't be a better foil to the hyper-confidence of Kerr and Ingebrigtsen, always open about how running is not the main calling in his life. Beyond the sport, he has that ongoing dentistry dream – he plans to quit running and go back to school before turning 30 – and spends time looking after his pet tortoise, Tyro, whose journey in and out of hibernation is being chronicled on Nuguse's Instagram. Like his beloved Tyro, the 25-year-old sometimes likes to take things slow. He prides himself on approaching his running career with a relaxed attitude, even in the pressure cooker of the world's most high-stakes races. 'I think I do a really good job of focusing on the stuff I can control and what's actually important in the moment,' says Nuguse. 'For me, every waking moment of my life doesn't need to be spent worrying about running or the next race or being that uptight or serious. I've always generally had a very chill personality, just very go with the flow, it is what it is, and tackle the things that I can when they come.' But don't be fooled into thinking that Nuguse doesn't care or that he isn't gripped by a burning desire to win each time he steps onto the track. 'I never really considered myself as an insanely competitive person,' he says. 'It wasn't really until I started running, and especially at the very beginning, I was just like, none of this really matters anyway. You're just running on a track. 'But every race, no matter what, I felt like I just instinctively had to take it so seriously. I think that kind of grew, cultivated, and really just became the competitive person I am now … For me, the important thing is just staying relaxed, staying calm, and then really letting it all out on the track.' Dathan Ritzenhein, Nuguse's coach out of the Colorado-based On Athletics Club (OAC), has time and again seen evidence of his athlete's drive and determination. 'Yared's tougher than almost anybody,' Ritzenhein said after last month's indoor mile world record. 'When he really wants it, he's an ultimate competitor – just so good.' Nuguse has been with OAC since 2022, establishing himself as one of the world's top mile and 1,500m runners in that time. With last year's Olympic bronze medal, his self-belief has only grown, and he says with complete confidence that he is 'capable of beating anyone' on any given day. The coming months will provide numerous chances to prove that. Nuguse has signed up to race in the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track, a new league launched by sprinting great Michael Johnson, and will go up against Hocker and Kerr, among others, across four meets. Beyond that, there's also the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. 'I do think I'm definitely in a position to be winning at those championships,' says Nuguse. 'I think a lot of the time, I came into these races knowing that I could win, and then I was going to go for it the best that I could. 'But now I have this bronze medal. I know I'm top-three-in-the-world quality. So now it's just a matter of being in the right race and really getting to earn a gold medal.' Records and medals, though, have never been Nuguse's ultimate goal in his running career. Rule number one is to have fun and enjoy each moment while he can. In the near future, probably after the next Olympic cycle in 2028, dentistry will come calling. 'It's always what I wanted to do,' Nuguse says. 'It's what I actually was going to do instead of running professionally, just go straight into dental school. But luckily, running professionally knocked a little louder than dental school did, and I figured I could come back to it later. 'I think I'd rather just be able to end on my terms also. It feels like I'm not just stringing this out for as long as I can feasibly make it happen. I have other things I want to do, and I am going to do them, but I'm willing to enjoy running as much as I can first.' The longer he continues to enjoy his running, the more you think Nuguse will be able to achieve in his career. This season, he seems on track to add world championship honors to his NCAA, American, and Diamond League titles – plus the Olympic bronze. Which, it's fair to say, isn't bad for a former bowls player.
CNN
05-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
From ‘scrawny' teenager to the ‘ultimate competitor,' Yared Nuguse has had a wild, unexpected journey to the top of running
Yared Nuguse never dreamed of being a professional runner, let alone an Olympic medalist. Aged 14, his sporting achievements amounted to a spot on the high school bowls team, while his modest career plans involved becoming a dentist. But life has a funny way of taking unlikely turns, our hidden talents unearthed in places we never expect. For a teenage Nuguse, 'scrawny' and with little care for sports, the idea that he would one day become an elite middle-distance athlete – and among the best in the world, no less – was laughable. It's a good job, then, that he took it upon himself to blaze around the running track in a high school mile race, all in the name of getting an A in PE. Looking on at the time, his teacher saw who he hoped would be the track team's latest recruit. 'He was quite convincing, fortunately, and he got me to join the team,' Nuguse tells CNN Sport. 'And from then on, I just fell in love with running.' After showing early promise as a high school student in Louisville, Kentucky, Nuguse competed for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning an NCAA title in the 1,500 meters in 2019. From there, a career in running beckoned, along with the fitting label of 'America's accidental champion.' 'It's been a crazy journey, one that I never really saw coming or expected,' says Nuguse. 'But it's one that I'm really glad I gave a chance because I would be in a completely different space right now if I hadn't. 'Running has just been changing my life in many amazing ways, and I've been really, really happy for it, and happy that my track coach in high school was able to convince me.' Even today, Nuguse struggles to get his head around the path his life has taken, still failing to see himself as a natural runner. He doesn't consider himself a sporty person and talks about how his 'long, windy stride' can make him click heels with competitors during races. But his achievements on the track are testament to his enormous talent and work ethic. In one of the most eagerly anticipated events of last year's Paris Olympics, Nuguse took bronze in the 1,500m, bested by compatriot Cole Hocker and – by the slimmest of margins – Britain's Josh Kerr. It was a sprint finish for the ages. He then beat Hocker, Kerr and Norway's two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, this generation's most decorated middle distance athlete, a month later at a Diamond League meet in Zurich, a race billed as a repeat of the enthralling tussle in Paris. Between those four athletes, this is a compelling era for men's middle-distance running, and Nuguse is a key protagonist. He produced one of the standout performances of his career in New York last month, defending his indoor mile title at the Millrose Games with a world record time of 3:46.63. It took just five days for Ingebrigtsen to get the record for himself – and by more than a second, too. 'He's really good at breaking records and doing what he does,' Nuguse says about his rival. 'Honestly, I was happy for him. It's a little bit of a bummer, but at the end of the day, records are meant to be broken in a lot of ways. 'I think what Jakob does really well is he elevates the sport, elevates what everyone else thinks they're capable of doing by going out and running these crazy times.' You won't hear many athletes say such kind words about their rivals, most of all Ingebrigtsen and Kerr. Those two have been trading barbs for years, and it's not without a touch of irony that, for all the trash-talking, the Olympic 1,500m final saw the rise of their American rivals, both softly-spoken and understated. Nuguse couldn't be a better foil to the hyper-confidence of Kerr and Ingebrigtsen, always open about running not being the main calling in his life. Beyond the sport, he has that ongoing dentistry dream – he plans to quit running and go back to school before turning 30 – and spends time looking after his pet tortoise, Tyro, whose journey in and out of hibernation is being chronicled on Nuguse's Instagram. Like his beloved Tyro, the 25-year-old sometimes likes to take things slow. He prides himself on approaching his running career with a relaxed attitude, even in the pressure cooker of the world's most high-stakes races. 'I think I do a really good job of focusing on the stuff I can control and what's actually important in the moment,' says Nuguse. 'For me, every waking moment of my life doesn't need to be spent worrying about running or the next race or being that uptight or serious. I've always generally had a very chill personality, just very go with the flow, it is what it is, and tackle the things that I can when they come.' But don't be fooled into thinking that Nuguse doesn't care or that he isn't gripped by a burning desire to win each time he steps onto the track. 'I never really considered myself as an insanely competitive person,' he says. 'It wasn't really until I started running, and especially at the very beginning, I was just like, none of this really matters anyway. You're just running on a track. 'But every race, no matter what, I feel like I just instinctively had to take it so seriously. I think that kind of grew, cultivated, and really just became the competitive person I am now … For me, the important thing is just staying relaxed, staying calm, and then really letting it all out on the track.' Dathan Ritzenhein, Nuguse's coach out of the Colorado-based On Athletics Club (OAC), has time and again seen evidence of his athlete's drive and determination. 'Yared's tougher than almost anybody,' Ritzenhein said after last month's indoor mile world record. 'When he really wants it, he's an ultimate competitor – just so good.' Nuguse has been with OAC since 2022, establishing himself as one of the world's top mile and 1,500m runners in that time. With last year's Olympic bronze medal, his self-belief has only grown, and he says with complete confidence that he is 'capable of beating anyone' on any given day. The coming months will provide numerous chances to prove that. Nuguse has signed up to race in the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track, a new league launched by sprinting great Michael Johnson, and will go up against Hocker and Kerr, among others, across four meets. Beyond that, there's also the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. 'I do think I'm definitely in a position to be winning at those championships,' says Nuguse. 'I think a lot of the time, I came into these races knowing that I could win, and then I was going to go for it the best that I could. 'But now I have this bronze medal. I know I'm top-three-in-the-world quality. So now it's just a matter of being in the right race and really getting to earn a gold medal.' Records and medals, though, have never been Nuguse's ultimate goal in his running career. Rule number one is to have fun and enjoy each moment while he can. In the near future, probably after the next Olympic cycle in 2028, dentistry will come calling. 'It's always what I wanted to do,' Nuguse says. 'It's what I actually was going to do instead of running professionally, just go straight into dental school. But luckily, running professionally knocked a little louder than dental school did, and I figured I could come back to it later. 'I think I'd rather just be able to end on my terms also. It feels like I'm not just stringing this out for as long as I can feasibly make it happen. I have other things I want to do, and I am going to do them, but I'm willing to enjoy running as much as I can first.' The longer he continues to enjoy his running, the more you think Nuguse will be able to achieve in his career. This season, he seems on track to add world championship honors to his NCAA, American, and Diamond League titles – plus the Olympic bronze. Which, it's fair to say, isn't bad for a former bowls player.
