NAU product Nico Young (27) of Team USA competes during the men’s 10,000 meters final of the Paris Olympics. Young ran an impressive time but the race leaders posted record numbers and he finished 12th. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
PARIS – For Nico Young, the moment was like no other.
“Walking out into the stadium was overwhelming,” he said. “At first, it felt like being at a concert, but I was the singer, the one everyone was looking at.”
Many of them were. On Aug. 2, the day of the Paris Olympics’ 10,000 meters, Young was barely 22, the youngest U.S. Olympian in the race in 20 years. And his time of 26 minutes, 58.11 seconds was so fast it would have set the Olympic record at any other Summer Games. Except this competition was so fast Young, who stayed with the leading pack much of the race, finished 12th.
It was an impressive effort for the the athlete who helped lead Northern Arizona University to three cross country championships. With the Games winding down, Young was able to reflect on his accomplishments.
His journey from promising high school athlete to Olympic runner has captivated the world of distance running.
His decision to attend NAU was instrumental in shaping his running career. Lumberjacks assistant coach Jarred Cornfield recalls an intense recruitment process and how significant it was to bring Young to Flagstaff.
“It was a major priority for us to try to get him to come to NAU, and he had every opportunity to go to any place that he wanted,” Cornfield said.
The choice between Stanford and NAU was not an easy one, but as Sean Brosnan, his cross-country coach from California’s Newbury Park High School, noted, the decision sculpted Young’s career.
“I came into Newbury Park wanting to build a national-caliber team. … Nico was part of that culture. My first day was his first day,” Brosnan said. “ I think that it was so brave for Nico to pick NAU. It was like we knew right away when he made a decision to go to NAU that he wanted to be one of the best.”
Flagstaff is renowned for its high-altitude training and is a location that has become popular with elite distance runners. Young quickly adapted to the rigorous training regimen.
“The benefits only get better the longer you live at high altitude,” Young said. “Every time we drop down to sea level, I can expect to hold a faster pace for longer.”
From the beginning, Young demonstrated the important combination of talent and work ethic. His quiet determination and competitiveness made him a natural leader, one who led by example rather than words.
That mentality set the stage for Young’s progression from high school standout to a professional-caliber runner while still in college.
“Nico is definitely the first Newbury Park athlete to make an Olympic team … and definitely the only one ever to be an NCAA champion, too,” Brosnan said.
Young’s rise in the sport was highlighted when he made his first Olympic team at 21. His friend and fellow NAU runner, Caleb Easton, recalls the moment vividly.
“I knew Nico had a really good shot after he ran that 10K at Sound Running in March,” Easton said about the event in San Juan Capistrano, California. “I actually booked my flight then, hoping he’d make the team. When he made the team at the Olympic Trials, it was awesome.”
The Paris Olympics were a monumental experience for Young, who found himself competing against the world’s best.
“It was insane,” he said. “I didn’t know I’d be in a place to make a team this early in my career, so it was really incredible.”
The experience was intimidating, but Young’s goals were clear. He was there to compete to the best of his ability.
“I was really just excited to be here, and there was really no expectation,” he said. “I was able to go out there and just run as hard as I could.”
Despite the grueling nature of the 10K race, Young said he stayed focused.
“With the pace being Olympic record pace, any 10K at that speed is going to feel hard,” he said. “It was a grind, but I was trying to stay in the moment for as long as possible.”
Cornfield was struck by Young’s determination.
“I was in the stadium for Nico’s 10K … and watching that young man compete against the best in the world was amazing,” he said. “He was immensely courageous … coming off a very long NCAA season… he gave everything he had for our team.”
This sentiment was echoed by Easton, who was among the thousands in the crowd. “It was the best thing I’ve ever seen. It was the biggest stadium I’ve ever been in, and it was so loud. Every lap was crazy, just watching Nico come around.”
The journey to the Olympics was the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice, but for Young, it feels like just the beginning. Brosnan believes that Young’s age is a significant advantage.
“He does have his age on his side,” he said. “Being a professional distance runner in your early and mid-30s is a long career. So he has two more Olympics while he’ll be in his 20s.”
The support system around Young has been a crucial part of his success. He values having friends and family who believe in him, regardless of his performance.
Easton, who describes Young as one of the best friends he’s ever had, emphasizes the bond that has developed among the NAU runners.
“It’s a really close brotherhood,’ he said. “We really pride ourselves on that. It’s awesome training with all these guys and becoming men with them.”
As Young continues to pursue his goals, he remains grounded and has reflected on how far he has come and the lessons he has learned along the way. His decision to attend NAU, a leap of faith at the time, has proven to be a defining moment in his career.
“It’s the best running school in the country, with the best coach,” he said. “I took the leap of faith, and it has all paid off.”
It did. And now he has his sights set on the L.A. Olympics in 2028 and beyond.