College track star Nico Young set an NCAA record over the weekend. And now, the Olympics are in his sights!
The Northern Arizona University runner became the men’s record holder in the 5,000 meters Friday at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. His time of 12:57.14 bested the old record by six seconds.
In addition, Young became the first college runner to finish with a time under 13 minutes in the 5,000 meters. Wow!
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It was another sensational performance for the senior, who’s used to running excellence.
“I knew I could break 13 on my best day, and it was a great day today,” he told FloTrack.
Young celebrated his latest triumph on Instagram, for his 62,000 followers to see.
While Young’s legs have long powered him to success, he attributes his record-setting run to a change in mindset.
“I am incredibly proud of the risks I took in this race and the commitment I’ve made to racing more freely,” he posted on Instagram. “I’m excited to enjoy every moment.”
We are enjoying every moment of Young’s collegiate career. The California native earned a prestigious First-Team All-American spot last year, and finished second individually in the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He led his team, the Lumberjacks, to their sixth national title in the last seven years.
During the previous outdoor track season, Young placed third in the 5,000-meter race at the NCAA Championships, and set the second-best 5K time in NCAA history (13:11:30).
But now, he’s reaching new heights. Even more impressively, Young was battling knee pain in the lead-up to Friday’s competition. The injury forced him to scale back his training in the weeks preceding the race, and his caution paid off.
When Young hit the track, he was pain free.
“I was able to show myself that it doesn’t really matter how much I run, I can still run fast, so I’m happy about that,” he said.
Better yet, the 21-year-old also finished with a time under what is required to qualify for the Olympics. Come this summer, Young could be competing for Team USA at Paris 2024.
And he would be doing it as an out gay man. Young, who publicly came out in August 2022, is proud to be visible.
But it wasn’t always that way.
“Anyone who tells you that being gay is a choice is wrong,” he wrote in his coming out post. “I am living proof that it is not a choice, it is something I have always known and been aware of, but have kept silent out of fear of rejection. I have struggled to accept myself, but I am becoming more proud and happy with who I am.”
As Young has grown older, he’s realized society’s heteronormative standards were holding him back. With that in mind, he wants to be a role model for young LGBTQ+ people who are yearning for representation–just like him.
“I want anyone who is struggling with who they are to know that you are never alone, and that the people who truly matter to you will always be there to love and support you,” he wrote. “If people choose to walk out of your life because of who you are, then they never deserved to be in your life in the first place. My name is Nico Young and I’m proud to be gay!”
The fact that Young has enjoyed so much success since coming out isn’t a coincidence. On the “Queer Athlete Podcast,” hosted by former out BYU athlete Emma Gee, he says coming out as gay boosted his athletic confidence.
“As the season went on, I would get on the starting line and feel so much more confident in myself,” he said. “I knew how much it took to come out. I was like, ‘Well, if I can do that, I can run this race.'”
These days, Young appears more confident than ever. Just last month, he secured another spot in the NCAA record books, finishing with the third best time in NCAA history in the 3,000 meters.
Taking full advantage of the NCAA’s new rules governing name, image and likeness, Young also models his own clothing line, Run Fast Apparel, along with his younger brothers, Leo and Lex, who are standout runners in their own right.
They are one tight knit, and athletic, group!
With the indoor track season in full swing, we can’t wait to see where else Young winds up in the NCAA record books. May his speed and determination carry him all the to Paris 2024!
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Fahd
Very heartwarming and uplifting story! Congrats on your new record Nico Young!