CITIUS MAG Podcast with Chris ChavezRunning

CITIUS MAG Podcast with Chris Chavez


The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

Nikki Hiltz Reflects On Finishing 5th At The World Championships 1500m Final | Tokyo + Season Recap

Thu, 25 Sep 2025

“I wanted to be calm, relaxed, and confident that I belonged here… Maybe I didn’t get the outcome that I wanted, but I hit my goal of being calm, trying to stay low emotion, and float, follow, and relax — all of the words that I said to myself. I’m really proud of how I navigated that race.”

Please welcome back to the show – the one and only Nikki Hiltz. And what a year it’s been! Just a season after finishing seventh at the Paris Olympics, Nikki stepped onto the line at the World Championships in Tokyo and delivered the best outdoor global finish of their career: fifth in the 1500m. They ran 3:57.08, the top American in the final, and held their own in a race where Faith Kipyegon, Dorcus Ewoi, and Jessica Hull all ran sub-3:56 for medals.

Yes, it’s easy to get caught up in the medal talk that we pushed throughout the championships. That’s what we do as pundits to talk about the sport. But for Nikki, it wasn’t about the outcome as much as the process: staying calm, engaged, and believing in their plan lap after lap.

That mindset carried them to a performance that showed just how close they are to the world’s very best. Today, we talk about the lessons learned, the mantras that kept them grounded, and what it means to chase medals while staying true to the journey.

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: Nikki Hiltz | @nikkihiltz on Instagram

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Mentioned in this episode…

Listen: Sage Hurta After Finishing 5th In The World Championships 800m Final In 1:55.89 (Third-Fastest American Ever) | Tokyo 2025 Recap + Reflections

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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

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Sage Hurta After Finishing 5th In The World Championships 800m Final In 1:55.89 (Third-Fastest American Ever) | Tokyo 2025 Recap + Reflections

Thu, 25 Sep 2025

“This is the moment I’ve been training three years for. There’s been three years of a lot of hard work and hard times to get to this. This is the thing in my mind, that dream and goal that’s kept me going. Once I put that into perspective, it was a lot easier to ride that wave of momentum into Worlds.”

About two months after we caught up with Sage Hurta-Klecker after making her first U.S. team, she's back on the CITIUS MAG Podcast to recap her experience at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. 

Sage made it count. After sneaking into the 800m final as the last qualifier, she unleashed a fearless performance, dropping nearly two full seconds off her PB to finish fifth in the final in 1:55.89. This made her the third fastest American of all-time and now sits behind legends like Athing Mu and Ajee Wilson. She's finishing the year with 12 outdoor 800s and 12 sub-two performances. Sage proved that she belongs among the very best in the world and you'll hear in this episode that the 800m is where she's planning to stay for the time being. 

This was a fun one. We go through all of her experiences from training to the time in between races and how her mindset shifted throughout the rounds. I love doing these recaps and Sage is an open book with all of it, including the training. She's actually asking for more people to take notice of her on Strava, so go ahead and hit her with a follow there. 

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: Sage Hurta-Klecker | @hurtasage on Instagram

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

____________

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

OLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. ⁠You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.⁠


A Tie To Share The Bronze Medal!? Taliyah Brooks On Her Breakout Heptathlon At The World Championships

Thu, 25 Sep 2025

“In years past, I just imagined myself as a hurdler and long jumper who sometimes did the hep. I just didn’t like doing the hep. I finally accepted that this is what I do. This is what I can be really good at. It just shifted my mindset. The medal confirmed what I already knew and I see how much room there is to grow.”

Taliyah Brooks came up CLUTCH in the second day with three PBs to notch a personal best of 6,581 points to tie for the bronze medal and move to No. 8 on the U.S. all-time list. This is her second World Championship medal in 2025 after earning a bronze in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships back in March.

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Taliyah Brooks | @love_tbrooks on Instagram

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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PRESENTED BY ASICS

For the third consecutive year, CITIUS MAG is proud to partner with ASICS for our global championship coverage. With their support, we’re able to bring you the best coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Support our sponsor and check out ASICS’s latest including the MegaBlast and SonicBlast. Shop at ASICS.com


TOKYO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 9 RECAP: COLE HOCKER WINS MEN’S 5K GOLD, USA SWEEPS MEN’S & WOMEN’S 4X100M RELAY

Sun, 21 Sep 2025

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins and Anderson Emerole as they recap all the highlights from Day 9 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

Here’s a full summary of day eight at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, covering all key results and storylines:

USA Sweeps Relays & Sets Records:

Women’s 4x100m – Gold & Sprint Treble for Jefferson-Wooden

- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden joins Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as the only women to win the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the same World Championships. USA clocked 41.75 to edge Jamaica (41.79), with Germany (41.87) earning bronze. The race also marked Fraser-Pryce's farewell, as she earned a final medal before retirement.

Men’s 4x100m – Dominant World Lead

- Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey, and Christian Coleman ran 37.29 WL. Canada (37.55) took silver, Netherlands (37.81 NR) claimed bronze.

Women’s 4x400m – Championship Record

- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone anchored with a 47.82 split, bringing the team home in 3:16.61 CR. Beat their own 1993 record. Jamaica and Netherlands rounded out the podium.

Botswana Men’s 4x400m – Stuns USA in Thrilling Finish

- Anchor Collen Kebinatshipi outkicked Rai Benjamin on the home straight.

- All three podium teams (Botswana, USA, South Africa) clocked under 2:58.

Individual Champions and Big Moments:

Cole Hocker – 5000m Redemption

- Just six days after a controversial DQ in the 1500m, Hocker surged late to win in 12:58.30. Beat Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli and France’s Jimmy Gressier in a tactical but fast finish.

Lilian Odira – 800m Champion with a Historic Time

- Closed hard to win in 1:54.62 CR, breaking the oldest championship record. First time three women broke 1:55 and five went under 1:56. Silver: Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR), Bronze: Keely Hodgkinson (GBR).

Leo Neugebauer – Decathlon Gold

- Won with 8804 points, following a massive 64.34m PB in the javelin. Took lead from long-time leader Kyle Garland before holding off Ayden Owens-Delerme (PUR).

Nicola Olyslagers – High Jump Gold

- Cleared 2.00m in rainy conditions to edge out Maria Zodzik (POL) on countback. Bronze shared between Mahuchikh (UKR) and Topic (SRB) – both at 1.97m.

Daniel Stahl – World Discus Hat-Trick

- Won his third World title with a clutch 70.47m final-round throw. Denied Mykolas Alekna (LTU) a maiden global gold; Alex Rose won Samoa's first-ever medal (66.96m).

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PRESENTED BY ASICS

For the third consecutive year, CITIUS MAG is proud to partner with ASICS for our global championship coverage. With their support, we’re able to bring you the best coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Support our sponsor and check out ASICS’s latest including the MegaBlast and SonicBlast. Shop at ASICS.com

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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Mac Fleet |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@macfleet on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Eric Jenkins | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_ericjenkins on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Anderson Emerole | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@atkoeme on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Mitch Dyer | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightatit_ on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Paul Hof-Mahoney | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@phofmahoney on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram


TOKYO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 8 RECAP:  BEATRICE CHEBET COMPLETES THE 5K/10K DOUBLE; EMMANUEL WANYONYI BREAKS 800M CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD TO WIN GOLD

Sat, 20 Sep 2025

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole, and Mitch Dyer as they recap all the highlights from Day 8 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

Here’s a full summary of day eight at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, covering all key results and storylines:

Distance Doubles: Chebet & Perez Repeat Gold Feats

- Beatrice Chebet (KEN) – 5000m Champion

- Added to her 10,000m gold, replicating her Olympic double from Paris 2024. Outsprinted teammate Faith Kipyegon in the final lap of a tactical race.

800m: Wanyonyi Breaks Championship Record

- Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) – 800m Gold

- Won in 1:41.86, a new championship record and world lead.

- Historic depth: All top 8 broke 1:43 – never done before.

Heptathlon: Anna Hall Ends 32-Year Drought for USA

- Anna Hall (USA) – Heptathlon Champion

- First US woman to win this title since 1993.

- Dominated from event two; ended with 6888 points

Relay Heats: Drama & National Records

Men's 4x400m:

- Botswana leads with 2:57.68.

- USA and Kenya to re-run due to interference.

Women's 4x400m:

- USA and Jamaica advance smoothly.

  • - Great Britain surprisingly miss out.

  • Men's 4x100m:

  • - Ghana leads with national record 37.79.

  • - Canada and USA through.

  • - Jamaica and Great Britain fail to advance.

  • Women's 4x100m:

  • - USA, Jamaica, Great Britain, and Germany all safely through.

    ____________

    PRESENTED BY ASICS

    For the third consecutive year, CITIUS MAG is proud to partner with ASICS for our global championship coverage. With their support, we’re able to bring you the best coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Support our sponsor and check out ASICS’s latest including the MegaBlast and SonicBlast. Shop at ASICS.com

    ____________

    Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Mac Fleet |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@macfleet on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Eric Jenkins | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_ericjenkins on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Anderson Emerole | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@atkoeme on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Mitch Dyer | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightatit_ on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Paul Hof-Mahoney | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@phofmahoney on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram


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