Indianapolis' Cole Hocker sets American indoor mile record

Hocker ran the mile in 3:45.94 at the ASICS Sound Invite in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Indianapolis native Cole Hocker set the American indoor record for the mile, running it in 3:45.94 at the ASICS Sound Invite in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hocker, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500m, was surrounded by enthusiastic fans after the race and said the banked track "feels amazing." His time broke the previous American record of 3:46.63 set by Notre Dame's Yared Nuguse in 2025.

Why it matters

Hocker's record-breaking performance continues his impressive comeback after a tough 2025 season. The 24-year-old is now aiming for a 1,500m/3,000m double at the upcoming indoor national championships, with his sights set on world indoor titles next month. His ability to challenge global stars like Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen has made Hocker one of the most exciting American distance runners in recent memory.

The details

Hocker was so close to the pacemaker that he was clipping his heels during the race. His finish was blistering, with a 27.34-second final 200m, 54.82-second 400m, and 1:51.70 800m split. This suggests Hocker may have had more left in the tank, hinting at the possibility of even faster times in the future. Hocker's 1,500m split of 3:30.80 also broke Nuguse's previous American record.

  • Hocker set the American indoor mile record on February 14, 2026.
  • Hocker previously set the American indoor 2,000m record on January 23, 2026.

The players

Cole Hocker

A 24-year-old distance runner from Indianapolis who is the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500m.

Yared Nuguse

A Notre Dame graduate who previously held the American indoor mile record with a time of 3:46.63.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen

A Norwegian runner who briefly held the world indoor mile record with a time of 3:45.14 before Hocker's record-breaking performance.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Obviously, it's a fraction of the people in Paris, but in a much tighter area. It was deafening. Every lap felt like it was the last lap of the race. Eight hundred meters into it, I had to rein it in. It's easy to get excited amid all the chaos.”

— Cole Hocker (indystar.com)

“Take it from me. The track feels amazing.”

— Cole Hocker (indystar.com)

“I think the sky's the limit. Like it's fast, indoors, 3:45, no doubt. But we're talking big picture, I gotta be able to go 3:42 hopefully somewhere in my career.”

— Cole Hocker (indystar.com)

What’s next

Hocker is aiming for a 1,500m/3,000m double at the upcoming indoor national championships on February 28-March 1. He will then try to win world indoor titles in those events next month in Torun, Poland.

The takeaway

Cole Hocker's record-breaking indoor mile performance solidifies his status as one of the top American distance runners, with the potential to challenge global stars like Jakob Ingebrigtsen. His consistency and ability to perform on the biggest stages have made him a must-watch athlete in the sport.