Official 2026 NCAA Indoors Championships Day 1 thread

Looked like 25.2 last 200m going off the screen clock, but that was with him celebrating the last 30m or so.

Not sure what Harding was doing. Would’ve been exciting to see Birnbaum with a fighting chance when he got the baton

THAT is the Colin Sahlman tactical race we've been waiting for. Holy cow that last 250 was vicious. He closed in 24, while celebrating 3 separate times lol.

Love to see UVA men flop

Not usually one for finishing antics, but I quite enjoyed Colin’s

The announcer said 24.9

Just went back to watch it, it looks like the VT Tech runner was trying to get in front of Wisco guy at 400m to go, and somehow caused him to drop the baton. Imagine thats why the results are pending.

He ran 3:57.14

What's also nuts is Sahlman's final 200 in 24.9-something capping off a 51-point finally 400 per the tv announcers.

Always thought a 26-point was considered world-class fast.

Has anyone -- college or pro -- even run a 25-point final lap in an indoor distance race?

If there was an Elias Sports Bureau for t&f, they would probably have that in their database as the fast final indoor lap ever.

Anyone know if there’s ever been an indoor 1:44 relay split before? Can’t remember ever seeing that.

time to drag that fastest last lap in a mile / 1500 thread out! I feel like Hocker closed his 3:53 2021 win in 25 something.

You can tell after that DMR Sahlman finally overcame a big mental block. He’s ready for his 1st individual title.

Don’t think Couttie and Sands are going to be a gold medal factor anymore in the 3k, they have extra tired legs now. I think Birnbaum is a bigger factor now and should beat the latter two. Momentum is in his favor. I think people need to accept a healthy Birnbaum is a big threat when he goes pro and he‘s the closest thing to Sahlman in the NCAA.

We told you guys these altitude conversions are bs. Especially for Landon Bott last place in the prelims but he was given a 1:45 conversion without ever breaking 1:47 in his life. Where was #1 seed Isaiah Givens today?!?

One of the few accurate altitude conversions was Cristian Soratos 3:55 altitude conversion we all argued about back then. And he at least backed it up with a runner up finish in the mile battling with Cheserek.

Or, Sahlman's the closest thing tho Birmbaum.

Watching Simeon's 2:48 DMR opener @ B1Gs a couple weeks back was convincing evidence he's gone from best in hs to now best in college.for the 1200-1500-mile.

Meeting @ 3000 -- presumably an overdistance for them -- will be a terrific sub-plot to the Samuel-Langon-Sands rematch.

Also not to be overlooked is Rheinhard Harrison's solo 2:49 DMR opener. That sets him up well for outdoors as NAU's main 1500 guy presuming Sahlman wants to continue to hone his skills in the 800.

Bigger picture: great to see all these former hs superstar milers like Green, Martin, Sahlman, Harrison, Birnbaum, etc. become college stars and beyond. The US middle school-high school-college-pro system is working for them.

Fun championships

How 'bout them HOGS!

agreed...it lands differently when it's a relay and you know they are celebrating because they are psyched to finish and then jump around with the rest of the team

Ovett went 25.1 for the last 200m of the 1977 World Cup (11.8 for the penultimate 100m) in a 3:34.45 race.

Coe closed in 25.4 in 52.4 last 400m in the 1980 Olympics.

And that was just the prelim day! Tomorrow will be spectacular