UPDATE: Cole Hocker pulled off a stunning upset in the 1,500 meters final at the Paris Olympics, claiming gold in a loaded field by running an Olympic record.

EUGENE, Ore. – If track is art, Cole Hocker’s tools are supershoes and his canvas a 400-meter oval.

Or he could run to his own beat. Which is what he does.

The 23-year-old miler from Indianapolis is a medal contender in the 1,500 meters, one of the marquee events of the Paris Olympics in any sport. But he acknowledged it is not something to think about 24/7.

Better to make music.

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“It helps me take my mind off something and helps me get better at something," Hocker said. "It’s perfect."

While at Cathedral High School, he taught himself piano and began digitally mixing music. During his freshman year at the University of Oregon, he learned to play guitar.

He elaborated on his musical pursuits from the backyard patio of an Airbnb in the South Hills neighborhood of Eugene. The previous day, he had finished the U.S. Olympic Trials by placing seventh in the 5,000 meters, not his primary event.

Hocker became the first since Jim Ryun (1968 and 1972) to win the 1,500 back-to-back at an Olympic Trials, setting a meet record of 3:30.59. Hocker was sixth at the 2021 Olympics.

In Paris, the first round, semifinals and final of the 1,500 are Aug. 2, 4 and 6, respectively.

Any upcoming race, and especially an Olympics, is always in the back of his mind, Hocker said. Mixing music supplies relief.

“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.”

Since high school, he had lived in Eugene until last November. Then he followed his college coach and relocated to Blacksburg, Va., training under coach Ben Thomas.

Hocker suggested there is not a lot to do in a college town like Blacksburg (pop. 45,000). That, too, is perfect.

“There’s very few hobbies I can do in between runs,” he said. “I can’t go play another sport. The idea is to rest in between runs. So it kind of limits that.

“I can play piano and play guitar, listening in my room, recovering, hydrating. I think that’s why it’s accessible for my lifestyle.”

Until recently, he mixed mostly hip-hop beats. He said he creates house music, or electronic dance music like that played in European clubs. He said he likes many genres.

He doesn’t often write lyrics but instead produces the music, re-creating beats from samples of other songs. He has one song, “For The Crowd,” on Spotify, a streaming platform. The song is under the artist  “Davvage,” a variation of Hocker’s middle name, Davage.

Already, he said, others have reached out to collaborate, including shot putter Josh Awotunde, a bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships. Another athlete, three-time Olympic medalist Will Claye, once produced a platinum record.

Hocker said he is new to all of this but has found some commonality with running.

“At least for me, it’s a process,” he said. “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. It’s a similar process in running. Have a goal, and keep chipping away on it.”

Platinum is the ultimate in the music business. Hocker would settle for gold in Paris.

Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cole Hocker won gold at Paris Olympics, finds balance with music