If Nick Willis's career ended tomorrow, the Kiwi would be satisfied. On his resume is an Olympic silver medal from 2008, three NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile titles, and personal bests of 3:49.83 and 3:29.66 for the mile and 1500m, respectively.
Yet before Willis contemplates hanging up his adidas spikes, the 32-year-old wants two very important things: 1) an NYRR Wannamaker Mile crown, and 2) the assurance of clean sport.
On Saturday Willis will race at the historic NYRR Millrose Games for the fifth time, vying for the coveted 'King of the Boards' crown and the honor that comes along with it. Last year he finished runner-up by .11 of a second, while in 2014 he finished third (he was also second in 2009 and third in 2008).
"I would absolutely love to win this. It's the primary reason I come back," said Willis, speaking at a Midtown Manhattan hotel. "I think this is actually my 18th or 19th time to the City, in which I've raced 16 or 17 of those trips. This has probably been the most prominent destination that I've competed at in my career... I feel it's like home."
Fresh off a 3:53.27 win in the mile at last week's New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Willis feels confident going into this meeting. Familiar with The Armory and its fast oval, Willis is primed to do whatever it takes to secure the Wannamaker Mile trophy, which resembles a shrunken Stanley Cup. Rival Matt Centrowitz has requested a pace that sets the stage for a sub-3:50 performance. Willis doesn't even bat an eye at the thought of that blistering clip.
Having raced on the professional circuit for a decade, Willis wants to use his experience both on and off the track this weekend. Physically, the former University of Michigan star feels prepared for any kind of race on Saturday, when he takes on some of the world's best milers like Centrowitz, Britain's Chris O'Hare, and former NCAA champion Robby Andrews.
Emotionally, he is motivated to seek change.
A father of a young son, Willis wants to set an example and stand up for clean sport, sick of the mess that track and field has found itself in globally. IAAF President Sebastian Coe announced this week that Kenya could potentially be banned from the 2016 Olympics for being non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency code, the newest development in what has been a tumultuous twelve months for athletics.
"The whole banning a whole federation is a very challenging subject because obviously there are going to be a lot of innocent people who are sort of bystanders in that will be affected as well," said Willis.
As an established veteran, Willis feels he is at a level where his voice can be heard. Unlike many up-and-coming athletes, he does not fear being "black listed" in the sport by event organizers, sponsors, or shoe companies. Perennially a top-five miler in the world, Willis also sports personal bests that speak for themselves.
While the IAAF circles the bandwagon searching for ways the sport can improve its sometimes porous drug testing system, Willis has come up with a scenario that could improve out-of-competition testing. Long a dark cloud over the anti-doping movement, testing in remote countries has been a challenge and burden. While Lord Coe has proposed banning entire countries and national governing bodies from future competition (such is the case with Kenya and Russia), Willis argues an alternative solution would impact all athletes training in problematic locales.
"One unique outlook I've sort of thought may be a possible solution is rather than [banning] federations, why not create a situation where the top-ten or top-15 athletes in the world, they have to train at least ten months of the year in a country where the country is under the compliant WADA code," Willis began, speaking with passion. "If they are from a country that doesn't have those places -- a lot of my competitors are from Kenya, Ethiopia, or Djibouti, a lot of places that don't have the funds to do that [have compliant testing facilities]. If you are a top-ten or top 15 athlete in the world, you have the sponsors, you have the means to go and train in Flagstaff as opposed to altitude there. It's not ideal and it's not necessarily fair, but it's also not fair that a lot of these athletes are getting away with training in places where the testers cannot access them."
With a growing number of media members surrounding him, Willis took the time to further elaborate on his proposal. He described a recent scenario involving friend Reid Coolsaet, an elite marathoner from Canada who has frequently trained in Kenya. According to Coolsaet (via a post on Twitter and reports in the Toronto Sun), many Kenyans (including Olympic medalists) had been notified more than a day in advance that they were going to be tested the following day. A day's notice gives athletes time to prepare (or potentially evade) testers.
"What good is quality testing if you can't actually test people [by surprise]? Or you can't access them properly?" Willis told Race Results Weekly. Willis sees two benefits to his proposal: one, a better chance of testing being effective and keeping athletes accountable; and two, putting accountability on the nations who are losing elite athletes because their testing facilities (or lack there-of) are not up to code. "That's just the unfortunate state of the sport. We've come to a point now, look, when people say no one deserves to be clean anymore. Even my name gets thrown out there. Why should you believe the next guy? You shouldn't believe that I am clean -- we've gotten to the point now where our sport has lost all credibility [where] no athletes deserve to be called clean. And I don't care if people think that about me if it means we start actually addressing the issues to clean it up."
When asked by RRW if he'd ever consider running for a position within the IAAF or WADA to initiate change, Willis said that when his career is over he'll be first and foremost dedicated to his family. But he hopes by the time he's done running that the sport is in a better place than it is now.
The NYRR Millrose Games does have drug testing, and top athletes are subjected to both in- and out-of-competition testing. When Willis toes the line on Saturday, he'll do so fighting for two wins: A win in the most historic indoor mile in the world, and a win for clean sport.
"I've been wanting to do this for a long time, since I was racing [Bernard] Lagat and [Craig] Mottram [in the late 2000's, back at Madison Square Garden]," he said. "It wouldn't be a worthwhile achievement if I wasn't beating great athletes in doing so."
109th NYRR Millrose Games Teams Up with 2016 Invictus Games, Department of Defense, To Host “Invictus Dash”
Today, the NYRR Millrose Games, one of the most prestigious indoor track and field meets in the United States, announced a new competition at this year’s meet featuring competitors training for the 2016 Invictus Games, the only international adaptive sporting event for wounded, ill, and injured active duty and veteran service members.
The 109th edition of the NYRR Millrose Games will be showcasing the country’s top track and field athletes on February 20, 2016 at the New Balance Track & Field Center from 12-6 p.m.
In partnership with the 2016 Invictus Games and the Department of Defense, the new feature sprint – “The Invictus Dash” – will feature American service members, active duty and retired, who are training to compete for the 2016 US Team in the upcoming Invictus Games and also for the Warrior Games.
The 2016 Invictus Games presented by Jaguar Land Rover will be held May 8-12, at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Over 500 hundred competitors from 15 nations are expected to compete in 10 sports including track and field.
“We are delighted to welcome and highlight these American heroes and honored for them to be a part of the historic NYRR Millrose Games,” said NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn. “As they race down the track, they are sure to inspire their fellow athletes and all of us in attendance.”
Many of the country's top track & field athletes will be showcased at the historic Armory in New York City during the Millrose Games, including decathlon world record holder and Olympic champion Ashton Eaton; Summer and Winter Olympian Lolo Jones; four-time Olympic champion and a nine-time world champion sprinter Allyson Felix; 1500 meter fourth place finisher at the 2012 London Olympics and defending men's NYRR Wanamaker Mile champion Matthew Centrowitz; and 1500 meter American record holder and defending women's NYRR Wanamaker Mile champion Shannon Rowbury.
“The 2016 Invictus Games are a valuable opportunity to witness the incredible healing power of adaptive sports and to cheer on competitors and their families who have made countless sacrifices in defense of our nation,” said Ken Fisher Co-CEO of the 2016 Invictus Games. “We are delighted to partner with the NYRR Millrose Games and greatly appreciate their support of the 2016 Invictus Games and our amazing competitors.”
Fans can purchase tickets for the 109th NYRR Millrose Games here.
“The NYRR Millrose Games is honored to host the Invictus competitors in our 109th edition as they take part in the Invictus Dash. We look forward to welcoming these heroes to The Armory and having them compete in the NYRR Millrose Games,” said Dr. Norbert Sander, President of Armory Foundation.
Top 10 Reasons Why 109th NYRR Millrose Games Will Provide a Memorable Night at The Armory
Meet Director Ray Flynn anticipates more than the usual remarkable feats at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory during the 109th NYRR Millrose Games on February 20th.
Flynn, the owner of the Irish record in the mile (3:49.77) and 89 sub-4 minute mile marks, is in his fifth year overseeing the NYRR Millrose Games and believes this field is his best ever. Flynn provides 10 appealing storylines that will make this year’s meet truly special:
1. Can the world's greatest athlete Ashton Eaton win both the hurdles and the long jump? Eaton is the Olympic champion and world record holder in the decathlon.
2. Can anyone beat 4-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix in the 60m?
3. Can Marquise Goodwin, the self-proclaimed fastest man in the National Football League, beat the NCAA champion and World Championships bronze medalist Andre De Grasse?
4. Watch Olympic medalists and rivals Derek Drouin and Eric Kynard try to jump over 7 feet- 6 inches in the high jump 2.30 meters.
5. Ajeé Wilson and Brenda Martinez go head to head in the women's 800 meters. Will they surpass the American indoor record?
6. The rematch of Molly Huddle and Emily Infeld in the women's 5000 meters. Infeld won the bronze medal over Huddle during their epic World Championship race in Beijing this past summer.
7. Can high school star Drew Hunter, improve on his incredible national high school record in the Mile of 3.58.25?
8. Watch Lolo Jones in her come back 60 hurdles race after making the Olympic bobsled team against the world's greatest hurdlers.
9. Can defending champion Shannon Rowbury run under 4.20 in the women's NYRR Wanamaker Mile?
10. Will we witness the first ever sub 3.50 mile in the historic NYRR Wanamaker Mile from Nick Willis or Matthew Centrowitz or both! Their rivalry continues!
TO PURCHASE TICKETS for the 109th NYRR Millrose Games please go tohttps://tickets.nyrrmillrosegames.org/Tickets.
NYRR Wanamaker Mile at the 109th NYRR Millrose Games to Feature Rematch Between Matthew Centrowitz and Nick Willis as They Lead World-class Men’s Field
The NYRR Wanamaker Mile at the 109th NYRR Millrose Games will feature a riveting rematch between defending champion Matthew Centrowitz, of Portland OR, and 2015 runner-up and the fastest miler in the field, Nick Willis, of New Zealand, on Saturday, February 20, at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory. Centrowitz and Willis ran the two fastest indoor miles in the world last year in the NYRR Wanamaker Mile, Centrowitz breaking the tape just a step ahead of Willis. Shannon Rowbury, of Portland, OR, will attempt to defend her title as key American and international rivals chase the now 1500-meter American record holder for the crown.
“NYRR is honored to be a year-round partner of The Armory and third-year title sponsor of the NYRR Millrose Games, and we’re always especially proud to support the famed NYRR Wanamaker Mile,” said Peter Ciaccia, NYRR president of events and the race director for the TCS New York City Marathon. “We are anticipating an incredible rematch of our defending champion and runner-up with Matthew and Nick, and look forward to watching Shannon once again compete against a talented and diverse women’s field.”
“The NYRR Wanamaker Mile continues to attract the world’s greatest milers, and each year’s lineup tells a special story,” said Ray Flynn, NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director. “This year, we’ll get to welcome back both of our defending champions and witness a rematch of one of the closest NYRR Wanamaker Mile finishes in race history in the men’s race. I would like to thank NYRR for their continued support in assembling accomplished and dynamic NYRR Wanamaker Mile fields.”
Centrowitz, 26, is the defending NYRR Wanamaker Mile champion, and also won the race in 2012. In that same year, he won the 5th Avenue Mile and finished fourth in the 1500 meters at the London Olympics. Centrowitz captured the bronze medal at the 2011 IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships 1500 meters, and improved to silver in 2013. He is the third-fastest American of all time in the 1500 meters (3:30.40), and has won three outdoor USA 1500-meter titles (2011, 2013, and 2015). Centrowitz bested Willis 3:51.35 to 3:51.46 in last year’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile.
“I'm looking forward to coming back to New York to defend my NYRR Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile title on February 20,” said Centrowitz. “It will be my fourth time to run this race and I’m hoping to add to my two victories in 2012 and 2015. The list of NYRR Wanamaker Mile winners is legendary and I would love to take a few more titles and try to set an NYRR Wanamaker Mile record.
Willis, 32, is the runner-up of the NYRR Wanamaker Mile, and looking to avenge last year’s loss to Centrowitz the same way he did at the 2015 NYRR 5th Avenue Mile where he captured the crown and beat Centrowitz handily. Willis is also the 2008 and 2013 champion of the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile, making him the third male athlete in event history with at least three wins. He set the national record in the 1500 meters (3:29.66) in the summer of 2015 and won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in that event. In 2006, he became the first New Zealand athlete to win the Commonwealth Games 1500 meters.
“I'm both excited and desperate to come back to the NYRR Millrose Games to finally win the NYRR Wanamaker Mile,” said Willis. “In my four attempts I have finished second or third place, with none being closer than last year's lean at the line with deserved winner Matthew Centrowitz. Centro is back again this year, so I look forward to resuming our rivalry.”
Centrowitz and Willis will lead a field of top milers, including Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano of Austin, Texas, 2015 USA Road Mile champion Garrett Heath of Seattle, WA, 2015 Pan Am Games 1500-meter bronze medalist Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada, two-time European Championships 1500-meter bronze medalist Chris O'Hare of Great Britain, and 2015 USA Championships 1500-meter runner-up Robby Andrews who lives in Manalapan, NJ. Adding both international and NCAA flavor is Villanova's Jordy Williamsz of Australia, who, if he runs 3:53.50 will gain provisional selection for Australian Olympic Team.
Defending champion Rowbury, 31, is back to defend her title; now, as the American record holder for 1500 meters. Rowbury ran away with the victory in 2015, winning by three seconds in 4:24.31, the No. 4 indoor time in the world last year. She broke the 32-year-old American 1500-meter record in the summer of 2015 with a 3:56.29 performance in Monaco. In September 2015, Rowbury was the runner-up at the NYRR 5th Avenue Mile, and has won the event in 2010 and 2009. She earned a bronze medal at the 2009 IAAF World Track and Field Championships in the 1500 meters, and is a two-time Olympian. Rowbury has won six national titles: 1500m Outdoors (2008, 2009), Road Mile (2009), Indoor Mile (2015), and Indoor 3000m/2-Mile (2008, 2015).
“It's an honor to have a chance to defend my title at the legendary NYRR Millrose Games,” said Rowbury. “I love competing in NYC at The Armory because the energy is infectious and the NYRR know how to put on an exemplary event.”
Rowbury’s key rivals include four-time national 1500-meter champion Treniere Moser of Portland, OR, 2015 USA 5000-meter champion Nicole Tulley who lives in Piscataway, NJ, three-time international medalist Ciara Mageean of Ireland, three-time USA Road Mile champion Heather Kampf of Minneapolis, MN, and USA junior 1500-meter record holder Alexa Efraimson of Camas, WA. Adding an NCAA component to the field is Dominque Scott of the University of Arkansas, last year's NCAA indoor 3000-meter champion.
TO PURCHASE TICKETS for the 109th NYRR Millrose Games please go to https://tickets.nyrrmillrosegames.org/Tickets.
Additional Athlete Backgrounds and Notable Performances
Manzano, 31, is the 2012 Olympic 1500-meter silver medalist and a two-time 1500-meter national champion (2012, 2014). His personal best of 3:30.98 makes him the sixth-fastest American of all-time, and he has placed in the top three in the 1500 meters at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships every year since 2006.
Heath, 30, is the 2015 USA Road Mile champion.
Philibert-Thiboutot, 25, is the 2015 Pan American Games 1500-meter bronze medalist.
O'Hare, 25, is the 2015 European Athletics Indoor and 2014 European Athletics Outdoor 1500-meter bronze medalist.
Andrews, 24, finished second at the 2015 USATF Outdoor Championships in the 1500 meters, and in 2011, was the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field champion in the 800 meters.
Williamsz, 23, is the 2015 Big East 1500-meter champion, and placed fifth in the 1500 meters at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Moser, 34, is a four-time 1500-meter champion at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013) and the winner of the same event at the 2006 USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships. At the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Track and Field Championships, she took fifth in the 1500 meters, her highest place in international competition. Moser was also the runner-up at the 2014 NYRR Wanamaker Mile and finished third at the 2014 NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile.
Tulley, 29, is the 2015 USATF Outdoor Championships 5000-meter champion.
Mageean, 23, placed second in the 1500 meters at the 2011 European Junior Championships and IAAF World Junior Championships, and second at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships in the 800 meters.
Kampf, 29, captured her third USA Road Mile Championship title in May. The “Queen of the Road Mile” has recorded three victories at both the Ryan Shay Mile and the GNC Live Well Liberty Mile. She owns a road-mile personal best of 4:21.39, was a nine-time All American at the University of Minnesota, and won the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field 800-meter title.
Efraimson, 18, is the USA Junior 1500-meter record holder and placed third at the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships in the 1500 meters.
Scott, 23, is 2015 NCAA Indoor 3000-meter champion.
Professional Men
Nick Willis, NZL, 3:49.83
Matthew Centrowitz, USA, 3:50.53
Leo Manzano, USA, 3:50.64
Jordan McNamara, USA, 3:52.42
Pat Casey*, USA, 3:52.62
Chris O'Hare, GBR, 3:52.98 (indoor)
Garrett Heath, USA, 3:53.15
Cory Leslie, USA, 3:53.44
Charles 'Philibert-Thiboutot, CAN, 3:54.52
Riley Masters, USA, 3:56.15 (indoor)
Jordy Williamsz, AUS, 3:56.84
Robby Andrews, USA, 3:57.15
Daniel Winn, USA, 3:57.62 Indoor)
*Field subject to change
Professional Women
Shannon Rowbury, USA, 4:20.34
Morgan Uceny, USA, 4:29.39 (indoor)
Alexa Efraimson, USA, 4:32.15 (indoor)
Kerri Gallagher, USA, 4:30.5h
Katie Mackey, USA, 4:27.78
Heather Kampf, USA, 4:30.07 (indoor)
Nicole Tully, USA, 4:30.65
Ciara Mageean, IRL, 4:30.64
Treniere Moser, USA, 4:27.49 (indoor)
Heather Wilson, USA, 4:29.39
Dominique Scott, RSA, 4:32.48 (indoor)
Stephanie Charnigo, USA, 4:28.02 (indoor)
Leah O'Connor, USA, 4:27.18 (indoor)
*Field subject to change
Evan Jager’s Path to Olympic Glory in Rio Starts at 109th NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory
Evan Jager has already proved that he belongs on a short list of the best steeplechase runners in the world, but he wants to take the next step in 2016 and win an Olympic medal.
Jager will use the NYRR Millrose Games on February 20th at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory to help get his 2016 season rolling. He is entered in a loaded 3,000 meters field that will see him take on 10-time NCAA champion and former St. Benedict's Prep star Edward Cheserek of Oregon, Nike Oregon Project teammates Cam Levins and Eric Jenkins, and Jager's Nike Bowerman Track Club teammates Ryan Hill and Lopez Lomong.
In 2015, Jager broke the American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with 8:00.45 and later finished sixth at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Those results amounted to near-misses. He missed the sub-8 minute barrier and missed the medals.
In 2016, Jager brings renewed hope to his goal.
"I definitely feel like I’m close," Jager said, "I'm right there. I just need to run a perfect race in order to do it. It's achievable."
Jager's short-term goal includes qualifying to compete at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Ore., where he has lived for the past seven and a half years.
The NYRR Millrose Games is part of that build up.
"With this year being an Olympic year, the NYRR Millrose Games is the perfect venue to start off my racing," Jager said. "I'm excited to go back to The Armory to run the 3K. I'm hoping to get the U.S. and World indoor standard, enjoy the race atmosphere, and compete for the win."
Levins will return after dominating the 2-mile and mile races at the Armory Track Invitational in 2015. He broke the Canadian 2-mile record at The Armory in 2013. Lomong broke the American record in the indoor 5,000 meters at The Armory in 2013, when he ran 13:07.00. Hill won the U.S. outdoor title in the 5,000 meters.
TIME ADJUSTMENT: The time of the NYRR Millrose Games on February 20th will be from noon to 6 p.m.
TO PURCHASE TICKETS for the 109th NYRR Millrose Games please go to https://tickets.nyrrmillrosegames.org/Tickets.
Allyson Felix in 109th NYRR Millrose Games
Allyson Felix is returning to the NYRR Millrose Games for the first time since she was a teenager and racing in an exceptional 60-meter dash field that will help to launch her 2016 season.
It has been 11 years since Felix competed at the NYRR Millrose Games and during that span she has become one of the most popular and successful track athletes in the world.
Felix is a four-time Olympic champion and a nine-time world champion in sprints ranging from 100 to 400 meters, plus relays. She last competed at the NYRR Millrose Games in 2004 and 2005, at age 18 and 19, and was fourth in the 60 meters both years. This year's 109th event will be held Feb. 20th at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory.
“The NYRR Millrose Games tradition is something so special and exciting about our sport and I look forward to the opportunity to compete in New York City, especially in such an important Olympic year," Felix said. "The women's 60 meters is going to have a loaded field and I cannot wait to compete against some of the best women in the world."
Tori Bowie, the 2015 World Championships bronze medalist in the 100 meters, and Tianna Bartoletta, the reigning world champion in the long jump, add even more star power to the 60-meter dash.
First-year pro Jenna Prandini, who won the Bowerman Award in December as the nation's top collegiate female athlete, is also entered. Prandini won the NCAA 100 meters for Oregon in 2015 and also the U.S. title in the 200 meters. In addition, former Alabama standout Remona Burchell, the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Indoor champion in the 60-meter dash, is also in the field.
The IAAF last week made an adjustment to the Olympic Games time schedule to allow a bit more time between the first round of the 200 meters and the final of the 400 meters. Felix has stated her intention to compete in the 200-400 double at Rio de Janeiro and the schedule change makes her attempt to medal in both events more feasible.
In 2002, when Felix was 16, she competed at The Armory in the National Scholastic Indoor Championships during her junior year at Los Angeles Baptist. She won the 60-meter dash title and also had a memorable showdown with Sanya Richards in the 200 meters final. Richards broke the national high school record and Felix was second.
TO PURCHASE TICKETS for the 109th NYRR Millrose Games please go to https://tickets.nyrrmillrosegames.org/Tickets.
