By Katherine Tench
Before Atlanta Track Club Elite's Sean Dolan and Luke Houser made their way to Poland for the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships, we stopped by their last pre-competition workout in Atlanta to gauge their thoughts on the events ahead.
Fresh off their podium finishes at the USATF Indoor Championships, both athletes enter the global spotlight with momentum and feel calm and confident as they get ready to represent Team USA.
For Houser, who earned silver at the 2026 USATF Indoor Championships after taking bronze at last year's World Indoor Championships, he heads into this competition in a different mindset than the year prior.
"For today's workout, we were just dialing in that 1500m pace," he said. "Everything felt smooth and controlled, so I'm feeling ready to go out there and compete."
His composure comes from experience. Last year marked Houser's first appearance on a World team, and while he didn't know what to expect at that level, that uncertainty has been replaced with this year's confidence in knowing the competition.
"I didn't really know what to expect the first time," he said. "But going out there and showing that I could compete with anyone gives me confidence for this year. I'll take that with me and be ready to race with the best in the world."
For Dolan, the road to Poland came together rather quickly, starting at the 2026 USATF Indoor Championships. There, he became the 800m runner-up by executing his race plan with precision but still needed a world standard time to secure his place on the team. The next weekend, Dolan and Houser lined up again at the PRTC Indoor Classic to chase their qualifying times.
Surrounded by the energy of the moment and a strong finishing kick, both Dolan and Houser not only surpassed the standard times but set new club records in the Indoor Men's 800m and 1500m, respectively.
"We needed to get the standard before heading to Poland, so the guys really helped me line it up," Dolan said. "Luciano Fiore paced it, and we got the job done. Running a lifetime personal best with my teammates there and to be back up in Philadelphia was pretty cool."
Although Dolan has represented the United States at the junior level, this will be his debut competing on a senior World Championships team.
"It's an opportunity you always want," he said. "We get to race people from everywhere, so I'm excited to get to Poland, wear the stars and stripes, and represent Team USA."
Visiting Poland will be a first-time experience for both Houser and Dolan. While racing remains the priority, they hope to take in the environment and a bit of the cuisine once the job is done.
"It's definitely a business trip first," said Dolan. "But it's also a place I've never been, so I'm excited to do some sightseeing after the race."
"I've been hearing a lot about the kielbasa and pierogi, so I'll have to check those out," Houser said. "I've also heard that ToruĊ has some good gingerbread, so I'll be looking into that too."
With their final workout at Atlanta's Cheney Stadium behind them and the World Athletics Indoor Championships ahead, Luke Houser and Sean Dolan head to Poland to represent Team USA on the global stage. As they race against the best of the best, we'll be cheering them on from back home in Atlanta.
You can tune in to the action on World Athletics+, NBC, and Peacock to watch Atlanta Track Club Elite compete live. This Friday, March 20, Sean Dolan will race in Round 1 of the Men's 800m at 8:21 a.m. E.S.T., followed by Luke Houser in Round 1 of the Men's 1500m at 1:54 p.m. E.S.T.
