{{Short description|American long-distance runner (born 2000)}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Alex Maier | fullname = | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|22|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | residence = | nationality = | spouse = | sport = Athletics | event = Long distance running, Cross country running | club = | worlds = | nationals = | headercolor = | pb = '''Mile:''' 3:56.44 (Seattle, 2022)<br>'''3000m:''' 7:43.05 (New York, 2023)<br>'''5000m:''' 13:11.80 (Boston, 2022) <br>'''10,000m:'''28:12.68 (Eugene, 2022)<br>''Road''<br>'''10km:''' 28:57 (Cape Elizabeth, 2024)<br>'''10 Miles:''' 45:15 (Washington DC, 2025) '''NR'''<br>'''Half marathon:''' 59:23 (Houston, 2026)<br>'''Marathon:''' 2:08:33 (Düsseldorf, 2025) | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = }}
'''Alex Maier''' (born 22 January 2000) is an American long-distance runner. In 2025, he set an American national record in the 10-mile run, and won the USA Half Marathon Championships.<ref>{{cite web|title= Alex Maier|website=World Athletics|accessdate=11 January 2026|url= https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/alex-maier-14873842}}</ref>
==Career== From Texas, Maier attended Flower Mound High School. In his final year, he won the 2018 UIL State Class 6A Championship and had a top-ten finish at NXN. Maier studied and competed at the collegiate level at Oklahoma State University from 2019, majoring in Electrical Engineering.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.milesplit.com/articles/267117/alex-maier-ready-to-shine-at-oklahoma-state|website=Mile Split|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|title= Alex Maier Ready To Shine At Oklahoma State|first= Parker |last=Navarro|date=Sep 12, 2019}}</ref>
In June 2022, he was runner-up to Dylan Jacobs in the 10,000 metres at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.<ref>{{cite web|title= NCAA Div. I Outdoor Championships|website=World Athletics|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7155001?eventId=10229610|date=8 June 2022}}</ref> The following year, he placed fifteenth at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships, helping Oklahoma State to win the men's competition.<ref>{{cite web|website=Flotrack|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|url= https://www.flotrack.org/articles/13023506-who-won-the-2023-ncaa-cross-country-championships-parker-valby-knows |title= Who Won The 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships? Parker Valby Knows |date=18 Nov 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7204760?eventId=10229623 |website=World Athletics|accessdate=12 November 2025|title= NCAA D1 Cross Country Championships|date=18 Nov 2023}}</ref>
After College, Maier transitioned to road running with Puma Elite.<ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Chavez|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|url= https://citiusmag.com/podcast/citius-mag-podcast-alex-maier|title= Alex Maier After Winning The U.S. Half Marathon Championships To Qualify For His First National Team (1:00:48)|date=6 March 2025 }}</ref> In March 2025, Maier won the USA Half Marathon Championships in a time of 1:00:48 in Atlanta, Georgia, winning from Shadrack Kipchirchir and Hillary Bor, and setting a 3-second personal best.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Half Marathon Championships|date=2 March 2025|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7224596?eventId=10229633 |access-date=11 Jan 2026|website=World Athletics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/03/rrw-puma-elites-alex-maier-taylor-roe-spring-upsetes-win-usatf-half-marathon-titles-in-dramatic-fashion/ |title= RRW: Puma Elite’s Alex Maier & Taylor Roe Spring Upsetes, Win USATF Half-Marathon Titles In Dramatic Fashion|first= David|last=Monti|date=March 2, 2025|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|website=Lets Run}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Chavez|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|url= https://citiusmag.com/articles/2025-usatf-half-marathon-championships-results-taylor-roe-alex-maier-win |title= PUMA Elite’s Alex Maier, Taylor Roe Dominate USATF Half-Marathon Championships |date=2 March 2025 }}</ref> On 6 April 2025, Maier set an American national record in the 10-mile run, running 45:15 at the USA 10 Mile Road Running Championships, in Washington, DC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USATF 10 Mile Championships - News - World Best and USA Title For Taylor Roe At Cherry Blossom 10-Mile - RRW |url=https://usatf-10mile-championships.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=2520&do=news&news_id=671458 |access-date=11 Jan 2026 |website=www.runnerspace.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= USA 10 Mile Road Running Championships|date=6 April 2025 |url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7222938?eventId=10229505 |access-date=11 Jan 2026|website=World Athletics}}</ref> Later that month, he ran 2:08:33 at the Düsseldorf Marathon in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Uniper Düsseldorf Marathon|date=27 April 2025 |url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7225099?eventId=10229634 |access-date=11 Jan 2026|website=World Athletics}}</ref> In June 2025, he won the USA 4 Mile Road Running Championships, running 18:04 in Peoria, Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web |title= USA 4 Mile Road Running Championships |url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7222972?eventId=10229732|date=4 June 2025 |access-date=11 Jan 2026|website=World Athletics}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.usatf.org/news/2025/taylor-roe-and-alex-maier-win-at-usatf-4-mile-cham|website=usatf.org|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|title= TAYLOR ROE AND ALEX MAIER WIN AT USATF 4 MILE CHAMPIONSHIPS|date=17 June 2025}}</ref> In July, he won the Bix 7 Road Race in Davenport, Iowa, ahead of defending champion Wesley Kiptoo.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.endurancesportswire.com/maier-chepkirui-win-first-prro-circuit-2025-stop-at-quad-city-times-bix-7/|website=Endurance Sports Wire|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|title= Maier, Chepkirui Win First PRRO Circuit 2025 Stop at Quad-City Times Bix 7|date= July 31, 2025}}</ref>
On 11 January 2026, he ran a personal best 59:23 at the Houston Half Marathon to move to second on the American all-time list, six seconds from Conner Mantz's national record.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2026/01/americans-fly-in-houston-alex-maier-5923-us-citizen-zouhair-talbi-smashes-course-record-20545/|website=Lets Run|accessdate=11 Jan 2026|title= Americans Fly in Houston: Alex Maier (59:23) & Taylor Roe (66:20) Move to #2 All-Time US in Half; US Citizen Zouhair Talbi Smashes Course Record (2:05:45) |first=Weldon|last= Johnson|date=January 11, 2026}}</ref> He ran 59:51 to place fourth at the New York City Half Marathon in March 2026.<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://www.letsrun.com/news/2026/03/grant-fisher-struggles-in-half-marathon-debut-fades-to-14th-at-2026-nyc-half/ |title= Grant Fisher struggles in half marathon debut, fades to 14th at 2026 NYC Half|first= Noah |last=Jampol |date=15 March 2026 |access-date=15 March 2026| website=Lets Run}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maier, Alex}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:American men long-distance runners Category:American men cross country runners Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys track and field athletes Category:Track and field athletes from Texas