Nikki Hiltz Eyes LA28 Medal After Career Year of Firsts

Middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz believes the best thing you can be is unapologetically yourself, and 2026 has become a celebration of exactly that.

In just six months, the U.S. track star has won their first global medal (bronze at World Indoor Championships), gotten engaged to longtime partner Emma Gee, earned a spot in the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame, and made TIME100's Most Influential People in Sports list. Speaking with Olympics.com after winning the 800m at the LA Grand Prix, Hiltz shared what drives them as they prepare for the 2028 Olympics in the same city.

"I think there's just a lot of joy in being yourself," Hiltz said. "I don't really view it as pressure. I view it as an opportunity."

That positive outlook shapes everything, including their Hall of Fame induction. Hiltz sees it as recognition of something bigger than individual achievement.

"There's a whole community of queer people, and not just queer people but queer athletes," they explained. "It helps normalize it. There are queer athletes, teachers, doctors, people in every avenue of life."

The Paris 2024 Olympian hopes their story shows young people what a happy, successful future can look like. But they're even more focused on what their family represents.

"I hope my family can show other families that it's OK to support your kid," Hiltz said. "It's actually a really special thing to be so loving of them, because then they can do incredible things."

That loving support now extends to fiancée Emma Gee, a steeplechaser and host of The Queer Athlete Podcast. The couple announced their engagement in May after five years together, and they share more than just their lives.

Both train in Flagstaff, Arizona, under the same coach. While they compete in different events, most training days involve running eight miles side by side.

"That's really special, to train together and race together and travel the world and support each other and chase our dreams," Hiltz said. They laughed when asked if training together ever causes friction: "A lot of times we hash it out on the run. I think a good run, you can talk through a lot of good stuff."

Why This Inspires

Hiltz's trajectory tells a story of steady progress. They finished seventh at Paris 2024 in the 1500m, fifth at the 2025 World Championships, then claimed bronze at the 2026 World Indoor Championships. Each year brings them closer to the podium's top step.

The location of LA28 makes the next Olympics especially meaningful. Hiltz recently competed at the LA Grand Prix on the same tracks where they'll chase Olympic glory in two years.

"The fairytale ending is a medal in LA," Hiltz said, and with their current momentum, that dream feels increasingly within reach.