NEW YORK (Jan 24) — Sweden’s Wilma Nielsen of the University of Oregon won the women’s elite mile at the Dr. Sander Scorcher Invitational on Saturday, clocking a world-leading 4 minutes 26.74 seconds at the Armory Track and Field Center.
The reigning NCAA indoor champion surged to the front with just over two laps remaining and held off American Rachel McArthur of Asics, who finished second in 4:26.98. Sadie Engelhardt took third in 4:27.54 as four women broke the 4:30 barrier.
Nielsen was runner-up at last year’s edition of the meet before sweeping the Big Ten and NCAA indoor mile titles. The 24-year-old had opened her season in December at the BU Colyear-Danville Opener, running a personal best of 9:00.50 for 3,000 meters. Her winning performance on Saturday came within seconds of her career-best 4:25.78 set at the 2025 Millrose Games and surpassed the previous 2026 world lead of 4:30.03 by Britain’s Helen Braybrook.
Laura Pellicoro of Brooks Beasts finished fourth in 4:29.86, followed by Christina Aragon (Nike Swoosh TC) in 4:31.01 and Teagan Schein-Becker (Brooks Beasts) in 4:31.14. Multiple NCAA champion Katelyn Tuohy placed eighth in 4:32.43.
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In the men’s one-mile pro-elite race, France’s Flavien Szot took the win in 3:54.00, ahead of American Wes Porter, who finished second after helping Team USA to fifth in the mixed relay at the World Cross Country Championships earlier this month. Morocco’s Fouad Messaoudi placed fourth in 3:55.42.
Click here for complete results from the 2026 Dr. Sander Scorcher Invitational
(Photo: Jan Figueroa)
