Cole Hocker went to the 2024 Summer Olympics with one goal in mind: to make a name for himself.
Mission accomplished.
The 23-year-old Team USA long distance runner won the men’s 1500m in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, August 6, outpacing the event’s favorites with a final flurry that saw him set an Olympic record of 3 minutes, 27.65 seconds.
A 30-1 underdog heading into the race, Hocker leaves Paris with a gold medal that sent shockwaves through the racing world.
So, what else is there to know about this surprise Olympic champion? Keep scrolling to find out.
1. Cole Hocker Was an Impressive Runner From an Early Age
As an eighth grader at Fall Creek Valley Middle School in Indianapolis, Hocker ran a 4:36 mile. “It was definitely a turning point,” Hocker told the Indianapolis Star in 2021.
His father Kyle recalled how his son played a bunch of other sports growing up — including basketball, soccer and flag football — but they weren’t quite sure where he was going to land.
“I knew he had an unusual skill set,” he told the Star. “We just didn’t know what to do with it.”
2. Midwest Boy Cole Hocker Headed to Oregon for College
By the time Hocker got to high school, it was clear that running was in his future.
During his senior year at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, he won state titles in both cross-country and track in the 800 and 1,600.
Hocker was recruited by schools like Indiana, Colorado and Northern Arizona, but he ultimately chose the University of Oregon where he competed from 2019 to 2021.
At the 2021 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, he won the mile in 3:53.71 and the 3000 meters in 7:46.15.
Hocker made the decision to turn pro in September 2021, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility and signing with Nike.
3. Cole Hocker Is Dating Girlfriend and Oregon Alum Sarah Levy
Hocker and his girlfriend Sarah Levy first appeared together on social media in August 2023 during a trip to Belgium. The two were later pictured together on a date in New York in January and in April on a getaway to Park City, Utah.
Levy was a varsity rower at the University of Oregon, graduating in 2023. According to her LinkedIn, she has been working as a project manager for the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council since January 2024.
4. Cole Hocker Is Also a Multi-Faceted Music Aficionado
Off the track, Hocker has become proficient in digitally mixing his own music.
“It helps me take my mind off something and helps me get better at something,” he told the Indianapolis Star in July. “It’s perfect.”
Hocker, who also plays the piano and guitar, said music is the perfect passion for somebody in his shoes.
“There’s very few hobbies I can do in between runs,” he explained. “I can’t go play another sport. The idea is to rest in between runs. So it kind of limits that.”
Hocker also noted how music keeps him away from some of the trappings of modern-day technology.
“I mean, you can scroll and scroll all day on your phone, if I have nothing pressing to do,” he said. “But doing something that’s actually honing in on a skill, mastering a craft, I’d rather spend my time doing that than wasting it.”
5. Cole Hocker Is Available to Stream on Spotify
OK, it’s just one song — but still!
Under the name Davvage (a variation of his middle name Davage), Hocker released the song “For the Crowd” in April.
“I come up with a concept for a song and then, work on it, work on it, work on it until it’s perfect, how I like it,” Hocker told the Star. “It’s a similar process in running. Have a goal, and keep chipping away on it.”