Nikki Hiltz makes major move as Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos introduces 1-mile race for second edition

Nikki Hiltz has confirmed her participation for the second edition of Athlos NYC founded by Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian. They will be competing for the first time in the competition in the 1-mile race, which is being held for the first time and will replace the 1500m race from last year.

Hiltz, a finalist at the Paris Olympics in the 1500m, previously held the American record in the women’s mile with a time of 4:16.35, which was broken this year by Sinclaire Johnson at the London Diamond League with a 4:16.32.

Alexis Ohanian’s track meet Athlos posted on their social media platforms (both X and Instagram) about the American middle-distance runner’s major move, captioning the post:

“Some people search for greatness. Nikki Hiltz stands rooted in it. We are thrilled to announce that Nikki is competing in the inaugural 1-mile race at ATHLOS NY25.”

Meanwhile, Nikki Hiltz also shared this post on her Instagram story, sharing their excitement for the meet, adding:

“Very excited to announce I’ll be racing @athlos Oct 10th in NYC”

Screenshot of Hiltz’s story. Credits - IG/ nikkihiltz

Girlfriend Emma Gee, Heather MacLean, and Madie Boreman were some athletes who expressed excitement to Hiltz’s addition to Athlos.

In the Athlos’ 2024 edition, which featured the 1500m, Faith Kipyegon won with a time of 4:04.79 to claim the $60,000 prize. Diribe Welteji (4:05.58) and Susan Ejore (4:06.25) finished second and third, respectively.

Nikki Hiltz reflects on their performance at Silesia Diamond League 2025

Nikki Hiltz at 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Nikki Hiltz reflected on their outing at the Silesia Diamond League 2025 where they finished fourth with a time of 3:56.10, also the third fastest time of their career over the distance. Despite missing a podium finish, they expressed pride in their effort, adding via an Instagram post:

“It wasn’t a podium finish or a PR but I’m still very proud of the effort! Consistency is key in this sport 🔑 and this season has been all about building out different skillsets to be able to compete against the best in the world. I can feel myself knocking on the door of a big breakthrough I just have to keep showing up and putting my nose in it!”

While they shared that they looked forward to the Brussels Diamond League on August 22, they also gave a shoutout to their girlfriend and coach Julie Benson, noting how meaningful it is to share this journey with them.

About the author

Abhiruchi is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Athletics, Swimming, Gymnastics, and Wrestling among other sports. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has over 2 years of prior experience in the sports journalism sector.

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are Abhiruchi’s favorite Olympians. She began following them in 2018, and seeing their transformation from initially not wanting to play together to becoming the world's top-ranked men's doubles pair inspires her.

Track & Field excites Abhiruchi the most because of the diverse range of events involved in it. Neeraj Chopra's historic performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics stands as her favorite Olympic moment as it was India’s first gold in track and field events. She feels that focus should be placed on up-and-coming athletes to increase the coverage of Olympic sports during the off-season.

Abhiruchi applies journalistic principles learnt while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree by prioritizing first-hand information, cross-checking via multiple reliable sources, and fact-checking for accuracy. She follows reputed sources and numerous established athletes on social media platforms to remain updated.

When not reporting, Abhiruchi enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Know More

Edited by Abhiruchi Rout