(17-Feb) -- On the second and final day of the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, Nikki Hiltz (lululemon) and Bryce Hoppel (adidas) both repeated as national indoor champions, and both qualified for the World Athletics Indoor Championships next month in Glasgow.  Hiltz won the 1500m in the women's division on the strength of a snappy 28.7-second final lap, while Hoppel won the 800m title --his fourth indoor national title and his sixth overall-- by outrunning the field on the final lap.

Hiltz, 29, is on a roll.  The former Arkansas Razorback won last year's title in a tactical race in 4:17.10, then came back in the summer to take the national outdoor title in 4:03.10 followed by an American record in the mile of 4:16.35.  Hiltz was in great form earlier in the indoor season, running a USA indoor best at 1000m of 2:34.09, then finishing fourth in the two-mile at the Millrose Games last Sunday in a personal best 9:15.80 (8:39.92 at 3000m).

In today's race Hiltz was content to allow others to lead.  Gabbi Jennings (adidas) took the lead right from the gun, and although she didn't set a fast pace her rhythm was solid.  Jennings started with 35-second laps, then squeezed it down to the 34's, then the 33's, and then the 32's.  With two laps to go Hiltz was sitting in second behind Jennings, and Emily Mackay (New Balance Boston) was just a step behind. Hiltz came to the front before the bell, and as much as Mackay pushed in the final circuit, Hiltz just could not be caught.  The Flagstaff-based athlete stopped the clock at 4:08.35 at the finish, similar to a 4:03 at sea level (The Albuquerque Convention Center is at 4958ft/1511m of altitude).  

"I love championship-style racing," Hiltz told sideline reporter Lewis Johnson on the NBC broadcast.  "There's no rabbits or pacesetters; it's just all about racing.  It was just so much fun."

Mackay --last year's Pan Am Games 1500m bronze medalist who ran nearly as fast as Hiltz for the final lap-- took second in 4:08.70 and made her first national team for a global championships (both she and Hiltz had already made the qualifying standard of 4:06.50).  Third went to Anna Camp-Bennett (adidas) in 4:10.20.  Jennings, who led for five of the race's seven and one-half laps, got fourth.

Hoppel, 26, won with a perfectly-executed race.  At 400m (53.3 seconds) Hoppel was running third behind Josh Hoey (adidas) and Abe Alvarado (Unattached).  On the penultimate lap, Isaiah Harris (Brooks Beasts Track Club) moved up to third, Hoey drifted back to fourth, and a determined-looking Alvarado took the lead.  With about 100 meters left, Hoppel went around Alvarado on the outside and came home alone to take the win in 1:46.67.  Harris rolled up Alvarado in the final 50 meters to take second in 1:46.78 (coming remarkably close to Hoppel in the final meters).  Both Hoppel and Harris had the Glasgow qualifying standard of 1:46.00 coming into these championships so they claimed their team spots on the finish line.

"I mean, indoors 800 is all about tactics," Hoppel said in his post-race broadcast interview.  "I had to just get out there and execute and stay to my right and confident and do what I need to do."

Hoey got third in 1:47.41 and Alvarado fourth in 1:47.86.