Millrose — American Records To Brazier, Wilson, Purrier

For the second year in a row, Donavan Brazier used the Millrose Games as a venue for lowering the AR in the 800. (VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN)

NEW YORK CITY, February 08—The 113th Millrose Games did a number on the record books, with Donavan Brazier, Ajee’ Wilson and Elle Purrier all setting American Records. A sold-out crowd of 5500 packed the stands at New York’s Armory for the historic meet.

Brazier clocked 1:44.22 to improve on the 1:44.41 AR he set in the Millrose 800 a year ago. Any kind of a record seemed unlikely after the world champion passed the 400 just 5th in 53.04. But the Michigan native used shrewd tactics to move up the field, blowing by a pack of America’s top halfmilers with a powerful surge on the penultimate homestretch. “I was pretty confident with the pace, it was feeling pretty slow that I could get around them pretty quick,” he admitted. A notable 24.89 closing lap helped strengthen his hold as history’s No. 5 performer.

And while Wilson Kipketer’s WR of 1:42.67 from ’97 may be out of reach right now, Brazier is beginning to appreciate the benefits of indoor racing. “I’m starting to take indoors a little bit more seriously,” he said. “Still not as seriously as outdoors, just trying to have fun [and] work on tactics.”

Brazier replayed his final strides, “When I saw the clock go ‘1:42, 1:43,’ I knew I had a chance. There’s not much room for error there.” (Continued below)

Later, in back-to-back races, Purrier won the women’s mile in 4:16.85 to shatter the AR and lead 3 other women under 4:20, while Wilson lowered her own national standard in the 800, winning in 1:58.29. Purrier’s time erased Mary Slaney’s ancient 4:20.5 standard from ’82. She also passed the 1500 in 4:00.20, inferior to Regina Jacobs’ ratified AR of 3:59.98, but superior to Slaney’s 4:00.8 that T&FN considers the fastest U.S. time ever). As for Wilson, she trimmed 0.31 off her previous national standard, set at Millrose last winter. (More to come on both Purrier & Wilson on Sunday.)

Inside the oval, Ryan Crouser and Sandi Morris made sure the meet’s two field events weren’t overlooked. Crouser exploded in the fifth round of the shot with a 72-9¾ (22.19) toss, the No. 6 mark in U.S. history. The Olympic champ’s series also included throws of 71-2 (21.69) and 70-10 (21.59) to easily turn back rival Joe Kovacs. The reigning world champion reached 70-¼ (21.34) in the third round to place 2nd, with Payton Otterdahl next at 69-2¾ (21.10).

Morris admitted to being fired up by Mondo Duplantis’ WR in the men’s vault earlier in the day in Poland and hoped to add history in the women’s discipline as well. The Olympic and WC silver medalist won the competition by more than a foot at 16-1¼ (4.91) before taking three solid attempts at a WR 16-6½ (5.04). “I want to shout out to Mondo Duplantis, he just broke the World Record for men, and I just thought to myself, ‘How cool would it be if the women’s was also broken on the same weekend?’” she said. “I have to at least attempt it. That was definitely motivation.”

Still, Morris was encouraged by her attempts to eclipse Jenn Suhr’s 16-6 (5.03) from ’16. “I think I had the hip height, but it wasn’t quite there today,” she said. “I’ve been chasing that thing for so many years, probably for about four years now that I’ve been taking attempts at it. I’m chipping away at it and I feel like I have it in me, but I’m just not quite there.”

Scotland’s Chris O’Hare won the men’s Wanamaker Mile, frequently the meet’s headline event, in 3:55.61. Daniel Roberts led wire-to-wire to win the men’s 60H in 7.64, ahead of China’s Wenjun Xie (7.69). Keni Harrison finished comfortably clear of Nia Ali over the women’s barriers, 7.90–7.96. Javianne Oliver (7.13) and Ronnie Baker (6.54) took the 60 dashes, holding off Morolake Akinosun (7.16) and Derek Kemp (6.56). Rai Benjamin moved to 8th on the U.S. all-time list in the 300, breezing to victory in 32.35.

Canadian Justyn Knight (7:46.36) executed a smooth kick to run away from Colorado’s Joe Klecker (7:47.57) to take the men’s 3000.

Allie Ostrander won the women’s 3000 in 8:48.94, catching Canadian Julie-Anne Staehli (8:49.01) in the final stretch. Wadeline Jonathas took the women’s 400 in 51.93, more than a second ahead of Jaide Stepter (53.01).


MILLROSE GAMES MEN’S RESULTS

New York City, February 08 (200 banked; attendance 5500 sellout)

60: 1. Ronnie Baker (US) 6.54; 2. Demek Kemp (US) 6.56; 3. Kevaughn Rattray (Jam) 6.62; 4. Marvin Bracy (US) 6.67;

5. Cravon Gillespie (US) 6.70; 6. Yuki Koike (Jpn) 6.71; 7. Jeremy Bascom (Guy) 6.81; 8. Mustaqeem Williams (US) 6.86.

300: 1. Rai Benjamin (US) 32.35 PR (8, 9 A);

2. Justin Robinson (US) 33.17; 3. Marcus Chambers (US) 33.21 PR; 4. Dontavius Wright (US) 33.31;… dnf—Obi Igbokwe (US).

800: 1. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:44.22 AR (old AR 1:44.41 Brazier ’19) (WL) (5, 6 W) (25.60, 27.45 [53.04], 26.30 [1:19.33], 24.89) (53.04/51.18);

2. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:45.70 PR (6, x A);

3. Isaiah Harris (US) 1:46.01 PR; 4. Brannon Kidder (US) 1:47.01 =PR; 5. Erik Sowinski (US) 1:47.93; 6. Mark English (Ire) 1:52.94; … rabbit—Robert Downs (US) (24.86, 26.23 [51.09).

Wanamaker Mile: 1. Chris O’Hare (GB) 3:55.61 (WL) (3:40.57); 2. Olli Hoare (Aus-Wi) 3:56.47 (CL) (3:41.22); 3. Rob Napolitano (US) 3:56.56 (AL) (3:41.32);

4. Nick Willis (NZ) 3:56.72 (3:41.62); 5. Carlos Villareal (Mex) 3:56.77 PR (3:42.48); 6. Geordie Beamish (NZ) 3:56.90 PR (3:42.07); 7. Filip Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 3:56.99 (3:41.05); 8. Eric Jenkins (US) 3:57.03 (3:41.74); 9. Sam Prakel (US) 3:57.81 (3:42.25); 10. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 3:57.83 (3:42.46).

Mile: 1. Julian Oakley (NZ) 3:58.86; 2. James Randon (US) 4:00.18; 3. Alex Rogers (US) 4:01.26.

3000: 1. Justyn Knight (Can) 7:46.36;

2. Joe Klecker (US) 7:47.57 PR (CL) (8, x AmC);

3. Jordan Gusman (Mlt) 7:48.17 NR; 4. Hillary Bor (US) 7:48.73 PR; 5. Edwin Kurgat (Ken) 7:49.19 PR; 6. Eric Avila (US) 7:49.65; 7. Jordan Mann (US) 7:50.90 PR;

8. Paul Tanui (Ken) 7:51.78; 9. Dillon Maggard (US) 7:51.79 PR; 10. Hassan Mead (US) 7:54.13; 11. Nico Young (US) 7:56.97 HSR.

60H: 1. Daniel Roberts (US) 7.64; 2. Wenjun Xie (Chn) 7.69; 3. Chad Zallow (US) 7.69; 4. Aleec Harris (US) 7.77; 5. Michael Dickson (US) 7.83; 6. Eddie Lovett (VI) 7.85; 7. Max Hairston (US) 7.87.

Field Event

SP: 1. Ryan Crouser (US) 72-9¾ (22.19) (WL, AL) (x, =11 W; x, 6 A) (69-8¼, 69-2½, 70-10, 71-2, 72-9¾, f) (21.24, 21.09, 21.59, 21.69, 22.19, f);

2. Joe Kovacs (US) 70-¼ (21.34); 3. Payton Otterdahl (US) 69-2¾ (21.10); 4. Josh Awotunde (US) 67-1¼ (20.45); 5. David Pless (US) 65-9 (20.04); 6. Jon Jones (US) 65-3¼ (19.89).

MILLROSE WOMEN’S RESULTS

60: 1. Javianne Oliver (US) 7.13 (low-alt WL, AL);

2. Morolake Akinosun (US) 7.16; 3. Briana Williams (Jam) 7.18 PR; 4. Teahna Daniels (US) 7.29; 5. Hannah Cunliffe (US) 7.30; 6. Allyson Felix (US) 7.32; 7. Tatjana Pinto (Ger) 7.33; 8. Trudy Ann Williamson (Jam) 7.37.

400: 1. Wadeline Jonathas (US) 51.93; 2. Jaide Stepter (US) 53.01; 3. Courtney Okolo (US) 53.08; 4. Brittany Brown (US) 54.41; 5. Maya Stephens (Can) 55.04.

800: 1. Ajee’ Wilson (US) 1:58.29 AR (old AR 1:58.60 Wilson [adi] ’19) (27.09, 30.42 [57.51], 30.92 [1:28.43], 29.87) (57.51/60.78);

2. Natoya Goule (Jam) 1:59.35 (57.44/61.91); 3. Olivia Baker (US) 2:02.86 PR (57.89/64.97); 4. Cynthia Anais (Fra) 2:04.51; 5. Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (GB) 2:06.22;… rabbit—LaTavia Thomas (US) (26.88, 29.32 [56.22];… dnf—Ce’Aira Brown (US) (1:29.04).

Mile: 1. Elle Purrier (US) 4:16.85 AR (old AR 4:20.5 Mary Slaney [AW] ’82 (WL) (2, 2 W; in-out: 10, x W; 2, 2 A)

(4:00.20 [1, 1 A] T&FN doesn’t recognize USATF’s ratified AR of 3:59.98 Regina Jacobs [Nike] ’01) (8, x W; in-out 10, x A);

2. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Ger) 4:17.26 NR (4, 4 W) (3:59.89 WL [6, x W]); 3. Jemma Reekie (GB) 4:17.88 NR (5, 5 W) (4:00.56 [12, x W]); 4. Gabriela Debues-Stafford (Can) 4:19.73 NR (7, 8 W) (4:00.80); 5. Nikki Hiltz (US) 4:24.45 PR (9, x A) (4:07.12);

6. Heather MacLean (US) 4:25.98 PR (4:09.09);

7. Dani Jones (Co) 4:27.88 PR (CL) (6, 6 C; 5, 5 AmC; in-out: 6, 6 C; 5, 5 AmC) (4:10.11 [2, 2 C]);

8. Shannon Osika (US) 4:28.79 (4:09.77); 9. Yolanda Ngarambe (Swe) 4:31.34 (4:12.36); 10. Rebecca Mehra (US) 4:32.61 PR (4:13.17); 11. Danae Rivers (US) 4:32.95 (4:14.52); 12. Sinclaire Johnson (US) 4:34.65 (4:14.88).

3000: 1. Allie Ostrander (US) 8:48.94 PR (AL);

2. Julie-Anne Staehli (Can) 8:49.01; 3. Laura Galvan Rodriguez (Mex) 8:49.74 PR; 4. Taylor Werner (US) 8:51.91 PR; 5. Erika Kemp (US) 8:53.06 PR;

6. Alicia Monson (Wi) 8:53.69 (CL);

7. Weini Kelati (Eri) 8:54.66; 8. Regan Yee (Can) 8:57.84; 9. Amy-Eloise Neale (GB) 8:58.14.

60H: 1. Keni Harrison (US) 7.90; 2. Nia Ali (US) 7.96; 3. Payton Chadwick (US) 8.00; 4. Brittany Anderson (Jam) 8.02 PR; 5. Gabrielle Cunningham (US) 8.08; 6. Janeek Brown (Jam) 8.10; 7. Leah Phillips (US) 8.44; 8. Georgia Ellenwood (Can) 8.47.

Field Event

PV: 1. Sandi Morris (US) 16-1¼ (4.91) (WL, AL) (x, =6 A) (14-9, 15-3 [2], 15-7, 15-9¼ [2], 16-1¼, 16-6½ [xxx]) (4.50, 4.65 [2], 4.75, 4.81 [2], 4.91, 5.04 [xxx]);

2. Megan Clark (US) 14-5¼ (4.40); 3. Chloe Cunliffe (US) 14-1¼ (4.30); 4. Lexi Jacobus (US) 14-1¼; 5. Kat Pitman (US) 13-1½ (4.00). ◻︎

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