Wilson, Okolo shine in showdown of American record holders

U.S. Olympians excel in anticipated 600-meter clash, becoming second- and third-fastest Americans and running Nos. 3 and 4 times ever in the world in Albuquerque

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Ajee' Wilson and Courtney Okolo both celebrated setting American indoor records Feb. 11 at the 110th NYRR Millrose Games.

In the marquee matchup Sunday in the women's 600 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships, Okolo – who boasts the collegiate outdoor 400 record and U.S. indoor 500 standard – stepped up to challenge Wilson, the fastest American female indoor 800 runner in history, and the meeting in the middle resulted in one of the meet's most memorable showdowns.

Wilson grabbed the lead after the first lap and relied on her strength to maintain the advantage the entire race to prevail in a personal-best 1 minute, 23.84 seconds, but Okolo hung tough throughout and also ran a PR to place second in 1:24.00.

The two U.S. Olympians were responsible for the second- and third-fastest times in American history – trailing only the record 1:23.59 set by Alysia Montano in 2013 – and the Nos. 3 and 4 performances all-time in the world.

"The last part of the race, the last 120, was where I was hoping I would come out with it," said Wilson, who improved from her 1:24.48 effort Feb. 4 at the Armory Track Invitational in New York.

"I’m a competitor and I love just getting out there and really competing, so when you have a 400 person come up to the 600, there’s an extra factor of excitement. It doesn’t happen often, so it’s always fun to do these races."

Okolo improved more than a second from her 1:25.21 performance Feb. 4 at the Husker Invitational in Nebraska.

"Me and Ajee' are friends and I was just trying something fun. I wouldn't have been able to run that fast if it wasn't for her," said Okolo, who set the American indoor 500 record 1:07.34, which ranks No. 3 all-time in the world.

"I just decided I'm going to stick with her and try to run with her, so I think it's a good thing for me. I proved to myself that I could be strong because in the 600, you've got to have strength as a quarter-miler to run that."

Wilson, who produced the American indoor 800 record 1:58.27 to become the No. 14 all-time performer, had her sights on the 600 world record of 1:23.44 set in 2004 by Russia's Olga Kotlyarova.

"That was the goal going into the race, but I think I got into my own head just with coming out with the win. The second lap probably wasn't as aggressive as it should have been, but I'm happy to PR," Wilson said. "This was the best indoor season of my career so far. I'm as strong as I've ever been and I'm the fastest I've ever been, so to be in this kind of shape, especially coming off of last year, I'm super excited about where we're at and where we can go in the outdoor season."

After testing her limits running 500 and 600 races indoors, Okolo looks forward to returning to the 400 outdoors, with her scheduled debut March 29-April 1 at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

"It's a new experience. I'm a quarter-miler. I think normally I would have run the 300, but I just wanted to try something different," Okolo said. "I'm happy with my performance (Sunday). I'm not as experienced in the 600 because it's more similar to the 800, but I think I did pretty well. Now I'm going back to where I belong, outdoors I'm running the 400."