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Rupp & Willis To Run Wanamaker Mile at Millrose

Posted January 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

galen rupp oregon pac-10 Meet director Mark Wetmore added some additional depth to the Millrose Games’ Wanamaker Mile, announcing today that Galen Rupp Pictured and Nick Willis would be on the starting line with last year’s 1-2 finishers, Bernard Lagat and Craig Mottram.

Rupp, 21, the NCAA 10,000m record holder, is a natural distance runner, who also holds the U.S. junior records for 3000m and 5000m. However, has never achieved a big performance in the middle distances. His top goal at the Millrose Games might be to achieve his first-ever sub-4:00 mile (his personal best is 4:01.8, outdoors), but the tight 11-laps-to-the-mile track at Madison Square Garden makes running fast times difficult.

On the other hand, Willis is a natural miler. The 24 year-old New Zealander who starred for the University of Michigan holds his national record for 1500m (3:32.17) and was the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medalist at the distance. He’s run 3:52.75 for the mile (3:56.55 indoors). Like Rupp, this will be his first Millrose Games.

The 101st Millrose Games, the third stop of USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, is set for Friday night, Feb. 1, at Madison Square Garden.