About their season and looking ahead to Tokyo
Coming off the Olympics can be difficult for any athlete, and Hiltz admits the comedown required a serious shift in perspective. “The Olympics are so heightened, so much pressure, and this year I’ve had to remind myself I can let go a little bit,” they said. “But I do think I’m building off the athlete I became last year, continuing to learn, continuing to grow.”
Though they haven’t set a personal best yet this season, the signs of progress are crystal clear. “I keep knocking on the door,” they said. “I was seventh at the Olympics, so hoping to be just a little bit better [in Tokyo]. Honestly, I’d way rather win than PR. That’s what happened this year, and that’s my goal for worlds. If I shoot for a medal, shoot for the moon, anything better than seventh will be good with me.”
Hiltz made history in Paris 2024 as the first openly trans and non-binary athlete to compete in an individual Olympic track final. Earlier that year, they broke the American mile record (4:16.35) and claimed silver at the World Indoor Championships. Those performances confirmed their place among the world’s best, and marked a turning point in how they viewed themselves in the competitive sphere.
In Tokyo, Hiltz will toe the line as one of the world’s most competitive metric milers, embracing their fullest selves: “competitive as hell”, unapologetically visible, and determined to shine for themselves and for others.
You can catch Hiltz in the 1500m heats in Tokyo starting on 13 September at 19:50 local Japanese time.