Prep Standout Was Targeting Olympic Trials Standard (3:37.50) And Feels It's Still Within Reach

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Tim Healy

Hobbs Kessler not only earned the distinction of being the first high school athlete to compete in the new stadium at Hayward Field, but he showed that he belonged there by competing with distinction against some of the best middle-distance runners in the world at Saturday's USATF Grand Prix at the Oregon Relays. 

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Kessler ran against some of the best athletes in the world in the 1,500 meters. He finished sixth out of 12 in a time of 3:40.46, a personal best that moved him to No. 3 on the all-time prep list behind Alan Webb and Jim Ryun. 

The truth is, he wanted to go even faster.

"I had 3:37 in my mind. The Trials standard is 3:37.5," Kessler said. "I wanted to book my ticket back there. I believe I'm in good enough shape for it."

Kessler stormed into the public's consciousness in early February when he broke Drew Hunter's high school national record in the indoor mile with 3:57.66. 

In March, he ran the No. 4 all-time 2-mile when he ran 8:39.04 at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 

There's been a lot to take in these past several months, but Kessler is learning on the fly. 

"The takeaway (of the weekend) is that I learned I can hang with those big boys," Kessler said. 

When he ran his fast indoor mile in Fayetteville, Ark., Kessler had training partner and mentor Nick Willis with him every step of the way, to navigate the check-in, warm-up, clerking and cool down. 

On Saturday in Eugene, he had a familiar face in the meet with Mason Ferlic in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, but Kessler was all alone racing a field of past NCAA champions and runners with global championship experience. 

Kessler was at the back of the pack early and felt like he was "going all out."

But he had more in the tank. 

Kessler's 56.06 close was the fastest in the entire race, even superior to winner Ollie Hoare's 57.09. Hoare, of the On Athletics Club, did his work in the first half of the race and tore away from the field on the way to a personal-best 3:33.54.

Kessler passed six runners in the final 400 meters and beat John Gregorek, Geordie Beamish, Bryce Hoppel, Emmanuel Bor, Tripp Hurt and Eric Jenkins. 

BYU's Talem Franco finished one spot in front of Kessler, in 3:39.19.

"I never felt like an imposter, or out of place," Kessler said. "I felt like I belonged with those guys. It's a good sign and it gives me some confidence."

That feeling, alone, was worth the trip to Eugene.

The easy suggestion would be that Kessler could have used more energy sooner, but it's a balancing act that he is still figuring out. 

"I closed hard enough, like I did at Myrtle Beach, maybe that's just how I run," he said. "I feel like I'm going all out (early), so maybe I'm lacking the strength to go hard earlier. I'm not sure if that's physical or psychological."

It's a voyage of discovery for Kessler, who had emerged as perhaps the brightest prep track and field star to come out of the pandemic fog. 

He said he hopes to try to run a faster time in the 1,500 meters at the end of May.

Another big moment was taking in the atmosphere of the new state-of-the-art facility on the campus of the University of Oregon.

"It was beautiful," Kessler said. "Hopefully I'll be spending a lot of time there in the future."