Hobbs Kessler
 Kessler in 2019 | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 15 March 2003 | |||||||||||
| Home town | Ann Arbor, Michigan | |||||||||||
| Education | Skyline High School | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
| Event(s) | 1500 metres, Mile | |||||||||||
| Club | Adidas Very Nice Track Club | |||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2021 | |||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||
| Highest world ranking | 61 (1500m) | |||||||||||
| Personal bests | ||||||||||||
Medal record
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Hobbs Kessler (born 15 March 2003) is an American middle and long-distance runner. He competes professionally for Adidas, having turned professional directly after high school. He holds the North American U20 record in the 1500 meters, having run 3:34.36 at the Portland Track Festival in May 2021. He also holds the American high school record for the indoor mile, with a time of 3:57.66 set in February 2021. He was named the 2021 Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Prior his breakout running year, Hobbs was a world-class rock climber. He's stated that one of his goals is to be the first person to run a sub-four-minute mile, climb a 5.15 (9b/+) and a V15 (8C).
Rock Climbing
Kessler was a national-caliber rock climber in his youth. He represented the United States several times, including at the 2019 IFSC Climbing Youth World Championships in Arco, Italy where he placed 34th in the Lead Youth A Male category. In March 2019, he climbed Southern Smoke (5.14c) at Red River Gorge in Kentucky – his hardest route so far.
High School career
Kessler competed for Skyline High school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. During Kessler's senior year, his father was the high school track coach. However, wanting to keep a non-professional relationship with his son, he had the renowned University of Michigan coach Ron Warhurst plan most of Hobbs' training. This allowed Hobbs to train with professional runners Nick Willis and Mason Ferlic for harder workouts while still allowing him to do easier efforts with his high school teammates.
In September of 2021, Hobbs committed to compete at Northern Arizona University.
On February 7, 2021 Kessler broke the U.S. high school indoor mile record by running 3:57.66 at the Randal Tyson Track Center where he placed third in the race. This broke his previous mile PR by more than ten seconds and made him the 12th American high schooler to break 4 minutes in the mile. During the outdoor track season, he went on to run 8:39.04 for 2-miles at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions in Myrtle Beach, becoming the No. 4 American high schooler at that distance, as well as winning his first state title in the 1600m.
Professional career
On May 29, 2021, Hobbs ran a 3:34.36 1500m at the Portland Track Festival. While still not yet enrolled in college, his time was faster than the current NCAA record. This performance was a determining factor in Kessler's decision to sign a professional contact with Adidas in June 2021, only a day before he competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. By turning professional directly after high school, Kessler thus forfeited his commitment to compete for Northern Arizona University.
Kessler currently trains under the tutelage of Ron Warhurst in Ann Arbor as part of the Very Nice Track Club. His training partners include Olympians Nick Willis and Mason Ferlic, as well as other professional runners Ben Flanagan, Morgan Beadlescomb, Nathan Mylenek, Natalie Cizmas, Alsu Lenneman, and Charlie Da’Vall Grice.
On October 1, 2023, Kessler broke the 1 mile road record by running 3:56.13 in Riga at the World Athletics Road Running Championships.
Personal bests
| Surface | Event | Time | Date | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor track | 1500m | 3:33.66 | February 4th, 2024 | The Track at New Balance | AU20R |
| Mile | 3:57.75 | February 6th, 2021 | Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex | ||
| 3000m | 7:39.00 | January 27th, 2023 | Boston University | ||
| Outdoor track | 800m | 1:45.80 | June 24th, 2023 | Icahn Stadium | |
| 1000m | 2:16.46 | August 10th, 2022 | Louis II Stadium | AU20R | |
| 1500m | 3:32.76 | May 27, 2023 | Los Angeles, California | ||
| Mile | 3:58.73 | August 24th, 2022 | Tooting Bec Athletics Track | ||
| Road Mile | 3:54.0* | July 23rd, 2022 | Charlevoix, Michigan, US | Not Legal | |
| Two Miles | 8:39.04 | March 25th, 2021 | Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium |
Personal life
Hobbs comes from a family of runners. His father, Michael, ran collegially at Eastern Michigan University. His mother, Serena, also is a runner and made the 2012 US Olympic Trials in the marathon.