by Alfonz Juck
Elle Purrier St. Pierre , photo by Jeff Benjamin
In the NBC broadcast yesterday, Paul Swangard, Ato Boldon and Des Linden presented two hours of fantastic indoor track & field. Watch for our feature, written by David Hunter, on Monday, January 30, 2022.
Among the highlights of the meet were the WHOOP Miles. Formerly the Wanamaker miles, WHOOP has come into sponsor the miles, and they were tremendous competitions. Actually, along with both 3000 meters, the miles were the highlights of the meet.
Ollie Hoare and Josh Kerr battled over the last 600 meters, with Hoare taking the nod in 3:50.83 to Kerr’s 3:52.97. Hoare set an Australian NR and Kerr set a New Zealand NR.
In ninth place, Nick Willis ran 3:59.71, making Nick the only human being to run sub 4 minutes in the mile for 20 years straight.
In the women’s race, Elle Purrier St. Pierre took control early and was never stopped, winning in 4:19.30. Josette Norris gutted out a tough second place, running 4:20.81.
Jeff Benjamin and Ollie Hoare, photo by Jeff Benjamin
Hoare and St Pierre with fast miles
NEW YORK (USA, Jan 29): As expected, fast mile action highlighted the Millrose Games in New York (WIT Gold). Ollie Hoare won the Wanamaker Mile in an Oceanian record of 3:50.83 ahead of Josh Kerr who set a Scottish record of 3:52.27. Further down the field there was another record for 38-year-old Nick Willis who clocked 3:59.71, his 20th successive year in which he has broken the four minute-barrier for the mile. Elle Purrier St Pierre won the women’s mile in 4:19.30, leading a US one-two ahead of Josette Norris (4:20.81) with Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen third in 4:22.59. A late entrant, Olympic 4x400m and 800m champion Athing Mu stepped off the track with one lap remaining. Alicia Monson kicked from the front to win the 3000m in a fast 8:31.62 from Weini Kelati in 8:33.72 and New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish won a contrasting 3000m with a late dash to win in 7:39.50 NR from Cooper Teare (7:39.61) and Cole Hocker (7:39.83).
