Nico Young

Young ran for Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California. He broke the 3 mile cross country American high school record at the 2019 Woodbridge Invitational, running a time of 13:39.7,{{Cite web|last=Ochsner|first=Steve|title=Best All-Time Boys Individual (SilverLakes course)|url=https://gvarvas.com/best-all-time-boys-individual-silverlakes-course/|access-date=September 26, 2021|website=Woodbridge Cross Country Classic|language=en-US}} and lowered the American high school indoor 3000m record (previously held by Drew Hunter), running a time of 7:56.91.{{Cite web|last1=S|first1=Rich|last2=s|title=High School 3000 Record Falls To Nico Young|url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/hs-3000-record-falls-to-nico-young/|access-date=September 26, 2021|website=Track & Field News|language=en-US}} At the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, Young won the race and set the course record with a time of 14:52{{Citation|title=Nike Cross Nationals|date=September 24, 2021|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nike_Cross_Nationals&oldid=1046223150|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=September 26, 2021}} and led Newbury Park to the team victory. Young was named the 2019-20 XC National Gatorade Player of the Year and the 2019-20 Track and Field National Gatorade Player of the Year. He was the first to sweep both awards in the same season. His brother Leo picked up the California version of the Cross Country award in 2022. His senior season in 2020 was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His season amounted to time trials with his brothers and teammates.

During the 2020 cross country season, Young placed 4th place at the 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:58.3{{Cite web|last=Curley|first=Joe|title=Nico Young to complete memorable freshman collegiate year at Olympic Trials|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/2021/06/23/18-year-old-nico-young-complete-memorable-freshman-year-olympic-trials/5324855001/|access-date=September 26, 2021|website=Ventura County Star|language=en-US}} at the 10 km distance, the highest a true freshman has placed since 2013. He set an American junior record in the 5000m at the 2021 Drake Relays with a time of 13:24.26.{{Cite web|title=Nico Young Posts Breakthrough Performance at Drake Relays|url=https://nauathletics.com/news/2021/4/23/track-field-nico-young-posts-breakthrough-performance-at-drake-relays.aspx|access-date=September 26, 2021|website=Northern Arizona University Athletics|date=April 23, 2021 |language=en}} With this time he qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he ran 13:35.94 and finished 9th.{{Cite news |last=Newman |first=Eric |title=Northern Arizona runner Nico Young reflects on freshman season |url=https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/northern-arizona-runner-nico-young-reflects-on-freshman-season/article_219eb78e-4ade-5dad-a822-d4284cdff4c6.html |access-date=September 26, 2021 |work=Arizona Daily Sun |language=en}}

Later that year, Young placed 11th at the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:57.5, but he also would lower the American junior record in the indoor 5000m with a time of 13:22.59 at the BU Season Opener on December 4, 2021.

In 2022, Young placed 3rd in the 5000m and 7th in the 3000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.

On May 6, Young ran 13:11.30 at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, which is the fastest 5000m ever run by an American teenager and the 3rd fastest outdoor 5000m in collegiate history.{{Cite web |last=Mull |first=Cory |date=May 7, 2022 |title=Lex Young, Colin Sahlman Generate Historic 5K, 1,500 Efforts |url=https://www.milesplit.com/articles/314060/lex-young-colin-sahlman-generate-historic-5k-1500-efforts |access-date=May 14, 2022 |website=MileSplit United States |language=en}} He would end up placing 3rd in the 5000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Young placed 8th in the 5000m, running a time of 13:19.15.

During the 2022 cross country season, Young would set a 10 km personal best of 28:01 at the NCAA Division I Mountain Region Cross Country Championships on November 11, 2022, before placing 2nd at the 2022 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:44.5. Two weeks later, Young lowered his indoor 5000m personal best to 13:15.25 at the BU Season Opener on December 3, 2022, finishing 5th in a field of collegiate and professional runners.

Young placed 6th at the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:04.2.

On January 26, 2024, at Boston University's John Thomas Terrier Classic, Young placed 2nd to Adrian Wildschutt's 12:56.76 in the men's 5000m White Heat, with a new personal best time of 12:57.14, defeating the 13:00.00 barrier, setting a new NCAA record, and hitting the Paris 2024 Olympics' qualifying standard of 13:05.00.{{Cite web |title=Athletics track & combined events at Paris 2024: The entry standards |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/athletics-track-combined-events-at-paris-2024-the-entry-standards}}{{Cite web |title=Track Scoreboard |url=http://live.lancertiming.com/meets/193/events/46/Final |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=live.lancertiming.com}}{{Cite web |title=Men's Indoor Collegiate Records |url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/records/mens-indoor-collegiate-records/ |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=Track & Field News |language=en-US}}

On March 8, Young won his first NCAA individual title at the 2024 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships over 5000m. His last three 200m laps were recorded at 28.47, 27.10, and 27.29 seconds, respectively.{{cite web |title=NCAA Indoor Championships |url=https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Indoor/2024/007-1-01.htm |website=flashresults.ncaa.com |publisher=NCAA}} He followed up the victory the next day with an NCAA title at 3000m in 7:41.01. North Carolina's Parker Wolfe finished second in both events, but was not within a second of Young in either.

Just one week after his double-gold performance at The Track at New Balance in Boston, Young made his debut in the 10,000 m on the track, competing at The TEN in San Juan Capistrano with the goal of achieving the Olympic qualifying standard of 27:00.00.{{Cite web|url=https://marathonhandbook.com/sound-runnings-the-ten/|title=Sound Running's The TEN Sees Fastest 10,000m On U.S. Soil And 12 Runners Under Olympic Standard|date=March 17, 2024}} Finishing in second place behind American-record holder Grant Fisher, Young broke the collegiate record[https://nauathletics.com/news/2024/3/16/track-field-nico-young-breaks-collegiate-10-000-meter-record-to-begin-outdoor-season.aspx Nico Young Breaks Collegiate 10,000-Meter Record to Begin Outdoor Season] Northern Arizona Lumberjacks of 27:08.49 set by Sam Chelanga, and hit the Olympic standard, running a time of 26:52.72.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/article/12919/gebreselama-and-fisher-highlight-the-ten-sound-running-with-record-breaking-performances.|title=Gebreselama and Fisher Highlight The TEN Sound Running with Record Breaking Performances | Watch Athletics}}[https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/grant-fisher-nico-young-lead-eight-under-olympic-10-000-standard/ar-BB1k2yob Grant Fisher, Nico Young lead eight under Olympic 10,000 standard] Daily Breeze Later that month, on March 25, Young announced he had signed an NIL deal with Adidas, and would go pro.{{Cite web |title=Excited to Announce |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C48RzUYrGHy/?img_index=3 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=Instagram}}{{Cite web |last=Mull |first=Cory |date=2024-06-24 |title=Nico Young Makes Deal With Adidas, Plus More Pro Contracts |url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/12656522-nico-young-makes-deal-with-adidas-plus-more-pro-contracts |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=FloTrack |language=en}}

Two weeks after the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, where he placed second in the 5000m to Parker Wolfe, Young competed in the 10,000m at the Olympic trials. He out-kicked Drew Hunter to place third and qualify for the Olympic Games.{{Cite web|url=https://nauathletics.com/news/2024/6/7/nau-track-field-sees-four-all-american-performances-on-third-day-of-national-championship-competition.aspx|title=NAU Track & Field Sees Four All-American Performances on Third Day of National Championship Competition|date=June 7, 2024|website=Northern Arizona University Athletics}}{{Cite web|title=U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials: Grant Fisher punches ticket to Paris, Sha'Carri Richardson advances in 100 meters |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/us-olympic-track-field-trials-grant-fisher-punches-ticket-paris-shacar-rcna158382|access-date=June 21, 2024 |website=NBC News|language=en-US}} At the Olympics, he placed 12th in the 10,000 m in 26:58.11.{{cite web|title=Men's 10,000 m Final Results|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/results/athletics/men-s-10-000m/fnl-000100--|website=Olympics|access-date=August 2, 2024}}

On March 2, at the Last Chance National Qualifier at Boston University, Young ran 12:51.56 in the short track 5000 meters, which stands as the second fastest time run by an American, behind Grant Fisher, who holds the world record at 12:44.09.{{Cite web |last=Tysiac |first=Ashley |date=2025-03-03 |title=Nico Young Runs U.S. No. 2 All-Time 5k At Last Chance Qualifier At BU |url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/13870337-nico-young-runs-us-no-2-all-time-5k-at-last-chance-qualifier-at-bu |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=FloTrack |language=en}}

On June 1, Young won the 3000 meters at the Philadelphia Slam, in a time of 8:01.03.{{Cite web |last=LetsRun.com |date=2025-06-01 |title=7 Thoughts on Grand Slam Track Philadelphia: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden & Kenny Bednarek Rule the Sprints, Hello Nico Young, & More |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/06/7-thoughts-on-grand-slam-track-philadelphia-melissa-jefferson-wooden-kenny-bednarek-rule-the-sprints-hello-nico-young-more/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}} On June 12, he won the 5000 meters at the Bislett Games, in an American record time of 12:45.27.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-12 |title=Nico Young breaks American record in 5000m |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/nico-young-american-record-5000m-oslo-diamond-league |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}

{{Grand Slam Track}}

Young has younger twin brothers, Lex Young and Leo Young. All three brothers competes on the same team together at Newbury Park in 2019 when the twins were freshman and Nico was a senior. Both twins run collegially at Stanford and have NIL deals with On.{{Cite web |last=Dutch |first=Taylor |date=June 21, 2024 |title=Nico Young Is Running as His Most Authentic Self |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a61192624/nico-young-most-authentic-self/ |access-date=June 13, 2025 |website=Runners World}}

Young came out as gay in 2022.{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2022 |title=College Runner Nico Young Comes Out As Gay in Emotional Instagram Post |url=https://www.out.com/sports/2022/9/01/college-runner-nico-young-comes-out-gay-emotional-instagram-post |access-date=September 1, 2022 |website=www.out.com |language=en}}

{{Reflist|3}}

• {{sports links|properties=-P4063,-P5120}}
• {{Team USA|new_id=nico-young}}
• [https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/7711751/Northern_Arizona/Nico_Young.html Nico Young profile] at TFRRS
• [https://az.milesplit.com/athletes/6404210-nico-young Nico Young profile] at Milesplit.com
• [https://nauathletics.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/nico-young/5918 Nico Young profile] at Northern Arizona Lumberjacks track and field
• [https://nauathletics.com/sports/cross-country/roster/nico-young/5842 Nico Young profile] at Northern Arizona Lumberjacks

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{{Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year}}

{{Gatorade National Cross Country Athletes of the Year}}

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Category:2002 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male long-distance runners

Category:Sportspeople from Camarillo, California

Category:Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's track and field athletes

Category:Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's cross country runners

Category:Track and field athletes from California

Category:American gay sportsmen

Category:United States collegiate record holders in athletics (track and field)

Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners

Category:LGBTQ track and field athletes

Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:21st-century American sportsmen

Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States