Nuguse, Wiley win first USA Road Mile titles in thrilling races at the Grand Blue Mile
U.S. All-Comers and event record for Nuguse; top two per gender earn Team USA berths for upcoming World Athletics Road Running Championships; $50,000 USA Championship money awarded
From Drake Relays
DES MOINES, Iowa – The 17th Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield was back on the streets of downtown Des Moines on a beautiful Tuesday evening for another running of the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships and the GBM recreation and competitive divisions.
The USATF event again served as a qualifying event for Team USA ahead of the World Athletics Road Running Championships to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark in September. The top two finishers in men's and women's divisions punched their ticket to wear the red, white & blue on the global stage.
The festivities began with the second running of Spike's Sprint youth race made of up three separate age groups from 6-10 years old. Nearly 3,700 Grand Blue Milers then took off in the recreational division with participants of all ages and abilities traversing their way through the heart of DSM. Mascots from across the metro and state of Iowa were up next as Drake's own Spike the Bulldog outran his costumed counterparts to repeat in the Mascot Madness Challenge.
The Masters and competitive divisions followed with Susie Duke winning the USATF Women's Masters 1 Mile in 5:24 before Justin Fiske took top honors on the men's side, crossing the line in 4:30.
The USATF 1 Mile Road Championships punctuated the night with a pair of thrilling races as 35 runners hit the pavement with a shot at an American title and spots on Team USA. The women kicked off the professional events, followed by a loaded men's field.
2026 Women's USATF 1 Mile Road Championship
The women's heat of 17 ran as a single pack for nearly half of the downtown trek until a leading bunch fractured away and pulled ahead. Graci Hyde, who went on to finish as the women's runner-up after narrowly edging Gracie Morris at the line, pushed the pace early, but her quick tempo was matched by several other runners. Addy Wiley, a newcomer to Des Moines and recent World Indoor 800m bronze medalist, was among the leaders for the entirety and eventually strode ahead of the pack to capture her first USA road title in 4:26 (converted from 4:25.42) with Hyde and Morris close behind her. As the top two finishers, Wiley and Hyde secured their spots on Team USA for the upcoming World Championships.
"It feels really good, like where I should've been for a long time," said Wiley, just 22. "I'm very relieved to be performing the way I know that I can and should."
2026 Men's USATF 1 Mile Road Championship
The men's lineup featured an elite group of Milers, including 2024 Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Yared Nuguse, and Vince Ciattei, the 2-time defending national champion. Nuguse and Ciattei were at or near the front of the men's column from the gun and looked strong the entire way. Nuguse had a touch more gas in his tank as the finish line neared, earning his first USA road title and setting a U.S. All-Comers and course record mark of 3:55 (3:54.06). Ciattei, who previously held the record from last year’s race, was not far behind in the runner-up position as he joined Nuguse on Team USA. Drew Hunter took third (3:56).
"The course was really fast, and it was such a fun race out here," Nuguse recounted. "I'm very happy with how I did and going to Copenhagen. There were a lot of good guys behind me, and I knew they were coming at me, but hearing the crowd, it felt really good."
The USA Championship awarded a record $50,000 in prize money, going ten deep, with $10,000 to each national champion.
17th Grand Blue Mile: USATF 1 Mile Road Championships
BBTM Featured Event
Des Moines, IA, Tuesday, April 21, 2026
MEN
1) Yared Nuguse (CO), 3:54.06*, $10,000
2) Vince Ciattei (AZ), 3:54.62, $5000
3) Drew Hunter (CO), 3:55.29, $3000
4) Waleed Suliman (WA), 3:55.86, $2500
5) Dylan Jacobs (IL), 3:56.05, $2000
6) Cooper Cawthra (TX), 3:56.60, $1000
7) Brannon Kidder (WA), 3:56.94, $600
8) Jack Crull (MO), 3:57.01, $400
9) Ford Washburn (AZ), 3:59.03, $300
10) Sam Ellis (GA), 4:01.85, $200
*U.S. All-Comers and event record (previous record, 3:55 (3:54.55), Vince Ciattei (AZ), 2025)
WOMEN
1) Addy Wiley (IN), 4:25.42, $10,000
2) Gracie Hyde (CO), 4:25.64, $5000
3) Gracie Morris (NC), 4:25.75, $3000
4) Annika Reiss (AZ), 4:26.92, $2500
5) Eleanor Fulton (OR), 4:29.34, $2000
6) Allie Ostrander (CO), 4:30.27, $1000
7) Angelina Ellis (AZ), 4:34.35, $600
8) Kassie Parker (IA), 4:35.46, $400
9) Claire Yerby (CA), 4:36.01, $300
10) Teagan Schein-Becker (PA), 4:36.95, $200
Complete race results HERE.
