PHOTO CREDIT: JOHNNY PACE
The 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships came to New York City this past week. Three of the men who wrote the headlines at Icahn Stadium arrived with careers that started long before the lights of a national final. Here is where each of them began.
Vincent Ciattei: First US National Title in the 5000m
April 10, 2010, the Pikesville Invitational in Maryland. Vincent Ciattei was a high school freshman, and he ran 5:04.24 in the 1600m to finish 22nd.
In his sophomore year he dropped that time to 4:41.45 and placed 5th in the 3200m at the 4A North Regional Championships. The following year he won the 1600m Maryland State Championship in a time of 4:15.91 and was unbeaten over the event that season. He was also crowed State Champion over 3200m in a clocking of 9:21.80 and won the 2-mile at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 9:20.69. Finally, in his senior year went 1:54.27 over 800m and 4:14.49 over 1600m to add a couple of more State Championships to his name and also ran at the Penn Relays, going 4:10.49 in the mile and finishing fourth.
He went to Virginia Tech, ran in the ACC, and built slowly. One of sis best seasons there was 2018, when he finished second at the NCAA Championships in the 1500m with a 3:45.02 and helped Virginia Tech win the distance medley relay at NCAA Indoors. He made the US Olympic Trials finals in 2021, won the USA 1 Mile Road Championships in 2022, and reached the World Championships in 2023. At the 2024 Olympic Trials he ran a personal-best 3:31.78 in the 1500m final - under the previous meet record - but finished just off the podium.
On Saturday in New York, Ciattei ran the men's 1500m final and was edged out by Nathan Green by five hundredths of a second, finishing 2nd in 3:50.32. The next day he came back, entered in the 5000m, as the tenth seed. He sat in 12th with three laps to go, then closed the final 400m in 54.36 seconds, outrunning Cooper Teare (13:46.88) and Sam Prakel (13:46.93) to win in 13:46.75.
Garrett Kaalund: A Collegian on Top of the 200m
June 23-24, 2017, an AAU District Qualifier in South Texas. Garrett Kaalund was entering his teen years, and he ran 26.00 over 200m.
His high school career unfolded at Antonian College Preparatory in San Antonio, competing in the TAPPS system, away from the UIL spotlight. By his senior year in 2022, he had grown into one of the best high school sprinters in the state regardless of classification - winning the TAPPS State titles in the 100m (10.51), 200m (20.66), and 400m (48.37) in the same meet. He also finished second in the 400m at the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays in 47.89 and third in the 200m at the TTFCA Meet of Champions.
He then went to Nebraska. By 2023 he was USATF U20 200m runner-up in 20.65 and runner-up at the Pan American U20 Championships. In 2024 he reached the prelims of the US Olympic Trials in the 200m, running 20.28. He transferred to USC ahead of the 2025 season, and his development kept climbing. That year he finished third at the NCAA Championships in the 200m with a 19.96 - his first time under 20 seconds - and ran 44.73 in the 400m at the USC-UCLA Dual Meet in May, just his second career open 400m. Earlier this year at NCAA Indoors he ran 19.95 to set the collegiate indoor 200m record and become the first collegian to break 20 seconds indoors.
On Sunday in New York, Kaalund crossed the line first in 20.04, becoming the first collegiate man to win the US 200m since 2008.
Chris Nilsen: A Fourth US Outdoor Pole Vault Title
April 9, 2013, the Park Hill 9th Grade Invitational in Kansas City, Missouri. Chris Nilsen vaulted 9-6 for second place, finished second in the high jump at 5-8 and ran the 300m hurdles in 47.90.
As for the progression from there? It was all about the jumps. Freshman year: 9-6 (pole vault) and 5-8 (high jump). Sophomore year: KC Suburban Red Conference Champion at 12-0 in the vault and a PR of 5-10 in the high jump. Junior year: won the USATF Missouri Valley Championships (16-6.75) and MSHSAA Class 3-5 State Championships (17-0) and moved the bar to 6-4 in the high jump. By his senior year he won the USATF Junior National title with a vault of 18-0.5, placed 7th at the IAAF World U20 Championships (17.6.75) and won the MSHSAA Class 6 District 8 title with another PR of 6-8 (high jump).
He went to the University of South Dakota and proceeded to win two NCAA titles there: 2018 at 19-1.5 and 2019 at 19-6.25. He won the US Olympic Trials in 2021, went to Tokyo, and won the Olympic silver medal.
NILSEN VS DUPLANTIS
On Sunday at Icahn Stadium, Nilsen cleared 5.82m on his first attempt and waited. Sam Kendricks, the six-time US outdoor champion, also cleared 5.82m - but on a second attempt, giving Nilsen the win on countback. KC Lightfoot, the American record holder who had been seeking his first senior national title, finished fourth.
