EUGENE, Ore. — Cole Hocker is still going to the Paris Olympics. Just not in the 5,000 meters.
In his fifth race over 10 days, the 23-year-old from Indianapolis finished seventh Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Trials. He had earlier become the first to win the 1,500 back-to-back at the trials since Jim Ryun in 1968 and 1972.
Grant Fisher set a trials and national championships record of 13:08.85. Abdi Nur grabbed the second spot in 13:09.01.
NCAA champion Parker Wolfe of North Carolina was third in 13:10.75. However, because he does not have the Olympic standard, the third place on the team might go to fourth-place Graham Blanks of Harvard, 13:10.75.
Hocker’s time was 13:20.99. He set a trials record of 3:30.59 in winning the 1,500 and will be a medal contender in Paris.
Afterward, the Cathedral High graduate said he did not regret entering both. He conceded he could feel himself, with three laps left, falling too far behind to seize one of the three Olympic slots.
Hocker was trying to become the second American to be in the Olympics at both 1,500 and 5,000 meters. Bernard Lagat, then 33, won both at the 2008 trials and ran both at the Beijing Olympics.
Only Hoosier to win the trials at 5,000 was Don Lash of Auburn in 1936, a year in which he broke Paavo Nurmi’s world record in the two-mile. That year Lash was ruled to have tied Louis Zamperini, subject of the “Unbroken” book and movie.
Elsewhere, Purdue graduate Kara Winger finished second in the javelin but seemingly will not make a fifth Olympic team.
Maggie Malone Hardin was first with a throw of 211 feet, 10 inches. The 38-year-old Winger was second with a distance of 206-6 on her final attempt.
Because Winger lacks the Olympic standard of 210 feet and has not competed in enough meets for a world ranking, she likely stays home. She had retired from the javelin in 2022 but returned to competition this month.
In the 1,500 meters, 20-year-old Addy Wiley of Huntington, the youngest finalist, was 11th in 4:06.59.
The race featured six women under the trials record and eight under four minutes. Nikki Hiltz sprinted to victory in 3:55.33. Emily Mackay and Elle St. Pierre, both medalists at March’s World Indoor Championships, were next in 3:55.90 and 3:55.99, respectively.
St. Pierre, who also made the team by winning the 5,000, held the previous nationals record of 3:58.03.
Contact WTHRr correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
