Axel's Personal Best

A Truce of Authenticity with Nikki Hiltz

A commitment to the grind remains one of the main tools Nikki Hiltz is taking into the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend in Poland as they lock in and seize the chance to crack another finish line tape first and win on the international stage. Just weeks prior, a familiar tale played out in New York as Hiltz grabbed a fourth straight women's indoor 1,500m title in 4:11.34 — their tenth national crown overall — and dominated during an early season buildup that won't include major outdoor championship or Olympics. Still, the plan is simple as it is clear and Hiltz spoke on what matters most in a wide-ranging chat about pushing even harder on the track, continued advocacy, the decision to go pubic about a personal decision regarding their body and finding the formula to close out the indoor season at the top of the podium.

Leveling Up and Remaining There with Cole Hocker

Olympic gold put Cole Hocker on global stage at the 2024 Paris Games when a final surge in the men's 1,500m silenced favorites like Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr — and propelled his growing legend as the one to beat. It also help reinforced the idea this era of middle distance racing could deliver dramatic finishes and storylines like its sprint counterparts. But for Hocker, remaining grounded is a part of a formula that has ensure that the main event is whenever he steps on the track, with a constant them of reminding the no lead is secure when he's involved. Before his win in the men's 3,000m at the USATF Indoor Championships in New York, Hocker spoke on the outlook for his season, his sudden boost in notoriety after the Paris and if he had any side quests planned in a year of no Olympics or world championships.

The Next Giant Leap with Quincy Wilson

Teen phenom Quincy Wilson walks — and runs — a fine line that stretches to a budding pro career while navigating his final year of high school at Bulls School in Maryland. In the fall he won't be too far away from home after committing to the University of Maryland and stepping into the collegiate arena. Despite already being an Olympian, repping New Balance and becoming part of the lead pack of next generation sprint talents that will headline Team USA's roster in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Wilson chatted with Axel about how he manages his own rising stock while staying grounded and composed.

A Post-Race Mental Sprint with Allie Wilson

The impact of making the Paris Olympics as part of Team USA's squad still resonates with Allie Wilson. She punched her ticket as part of a chaotic women's 800m final in Eugene last year as part of a whirlwind season where she also signed a contract with Nike — part of a sign that things were changing and the pauses in life would soon become rarer. But in a fast sport, the time away from the track feels even faster and 2025's long season on the track has wrapped and road races now dominate calendar. Wilson spoke with me last month after a frantic Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City and touched on several points as she caught her breath — including her move up to the 1,500m (and mile) — and what a post-Olympic mindset means for the chase to be healthy and consistent.

A Stride to the World Lead with T'Mars "TJ" McCallum

T'Mars McCallum is accustomed to running in a tough collegiate conference — the SEC — and boldly proud of being one of the leaders of Tennessee's track and field squad. But his world shifted a bit last weekend at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis when he ran the world lead in the 200m in 19.73. The eyes of the sport suddenly looked his way and he was far from a face in a crowd of sprinters. And in a few weeks he could be among those competing for a world title in Tokyo. In this episode, McCallum talks about his whirlwind weekend, team camaraderie and even coaching himself in high school as he tried being a sprinter and jumper.