One of the best distance runners in St. Xavier history has yet another accolade to add to his resume.
Nathan Mountain, who graduated in 2021 and recently finished up his collegiate career at the University of Virginia, claimed the 3,000-meter steeplechase title at the USA Track and Field outdoor championships. The meet took place at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York City.
Making his professional debut after he signed with Hoka on July 24, Mountain sat in eighth place after 1,000 meters and seventh place after 2,000 meters. He made his move on the final lap and took the lead coming out of the final water jump with about 150 meters to go. He clipped the final barrier on the home straight but held off Carson Williams and Duncan Hamilton,
crossing the line in 8:13.81.
Mountain's name is still near the top of St. Xavier's record books. He owns the third-fastest cross country time in school history and has the fastest-ever 1,600- and 3,200-meter times by a Bomber. On the cross country course, he took fifth place in the state as a junior and second place as a senior. On the track, he was the Division I 1,600-meter outdoor state champion as a senior.
Earlier this year, Mountain ran a steeplechase personal best of 8:11.92, which was also the third-fastest time in NCAA history. He went on to take ninth place at the NCAA championships. He took fourth place in the nation in 2023 and was the national runner-up in 2024.
University of Cincinnati graduate Annette Echikunwoke wins hammer throw title
With a distance of 75.47 meters (247 feet, 7 inches) on her first throw of the competition, Echikunwoke claimed her second national title in the event. Her first came in 2024, about one month before she claimed a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Her title-winning throw is just short of her lifetime best of 75.51 meters, which she achieved on April 23 of this year at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.
Echikunwoke will now compete at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest Hungary from Sept. 11-13. She is currently ranked 12th in the world in the hammer throw.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: St. Xavier graduate Nathan Mountain wins USATF steeplechase national title
