HILTZ TAKES KALAKAUA MARY MILE WIN IN EXCITING SPRINT FINISH
By Rich Sands, By Rich Sands, @thatrichsands.bsky.social
(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
HONOLULU (Dec. 07) — For the first time in the history of the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, athletes in the women’s division came out on top in the race’s cross-gender format, with Nikki Hiltz leading the top three spots behind the fast-closing Hobbs Kessler, who finished fourth overall. :
In the eighth edition of the race, held in conjunction with Sunday’s Honolulu Marathon, the pro women’s field led the men by roughly 32 seconds, up two seconds from last year, when Hiltz finished fifth behind four men.
The pacers added another wrinkle this year, with Amaris Tinismaa leading the women in the first half. It helped keep the pace honest, especially for the women. “We’re not at our peak this time of year and most of us have been racing for a long time haven’t run, so you don’t really know what kind of shape you’re in,” says Sinclair Johnson: 2022 U.S. champion in the 1,500. “So it was nice to have a pacer to set that tone.”
The flat out-and-back course along Waikiki Avenue features a hairpin turn right at the halfway mark, and at that point the women could see the men closing the gap. That’s when U.S. Olympian Wayne Kelati switched gears “I saw the men coming and I said we really have to get it because they beat us every year.” said Kelati, who was third among women in 2023 and won the prestigious Manchester Road Race in Connecticut. Thanksgiving Day. “So I was really pushing the pace. We had to do it all together.”
Even as the leaders sped up, Kessler, who finished fifth in the Olympic 1,500 meters in Paris in August, remained optimistic I thought we closed it.”
Still, as the women’s field battled each other, they were on the lookout for their pursuers. “The crowd was so loud in the last 50 meters, I wasn’t sure how close people were,” Johnson said to see around us.”
In the end, they had enough of a gap to finish in front.In a heated battle, Hiltz held off Kelat by a tenth of a second, 4:28.39 to 4:28.49, with Johnson just behind in 4:28.54.
Running wide on their left, Kessler came in just ahead of them with a time of 3:56.51. “I wanted that money,” he said with a laugh . I was just trying to chase them down without blowing them up.”
Hiltz, who is transgender and non-binary and competes in the women’s division under World Athletics rules, earned a $7,500 check (the top prize for a US road mile) and a solid gold plaque. “This race is special if you’re first or last, and that’s the cherry on top to walk away with some awards and a gold plate,” said Hiltz, who for the first time was competing in the Olympic 1500 in August.
Making the day even sweeter, Hiltz’s partner, Emma Gee, was the top women’s finisher in the mass participation race before the pro event.
Kelati received $5,000 for second place, while Johnson and Kessler earned $3,000 and $1,500, respectively, while fifth-place Heather McLean (4:28.89) collected $1,000.
BAA Invitational Mile
April 15, 2022 Photo by Kevin Morris
Hiltz narrowly missed out on a $5,000 bonus offered by organizers for breaking the American record (4:28.07).
Australia’s Jack Anstey (3:57.01) and 2022 Merrie Mile winner Neil Gourley of Great Britain (3:57.94) finished second and third in the men’s race.
The performance for Hiltz caps an exceptional 2024 campaign that included the U.S. indoor and outdoor 1,500 titles, the latter posting a thrilling 3:55.33, the second-fastest time ever by an American. He also won a silver medal in world athletics.
After the post-Olympic break, Hiltz is building a base for the 2025 season. “I think we just approached (this race) like we were training this week and it was just for fun,” said Hiltz, who represents Lululemon. : “Sometimes when you go into a race with no expectations, that’s when magic happens. I didn’t train for this, but the power is the speed It’s nice to know that I’m in this shape right now.”
