NEW YORK CITY, January 29 — The return of the Millrose Games featured chaos, a comeback and close races on the men’s side. The unfortunate chaos came in the shot, where an “equipment malfunction” with the laser technology led to faulty measurements, including an announced World Record that was actually about a meter off the mark.
Ryan Crouser had seemingly exploded for a 76-8½ (23.38) second-round heave at the Armory, which would have been just farther than his outdoor WR of 76-8¼ (23.37). But the two-time Olympic champion immediately knew something was amiss. The measuring device had been accidentally bumped at some point before or during the competition. Officials scrambled to rectify the situation retroactively, but ultimately all the marks had to be nullified.
Crouser was told that his big throw was most likely about 22.50 (73-10), clearly short of the indoor WR 74-10½ (22.82) he set a year ago. “I’ve thrown over 23 a number of times and kinda know what that feels like,” he said. “We’re not quite there yet. But 22.50 from a static start while in heavy training was a fantastic throw for me. So I’m really happy with my performance today and excited for what this indicates.”
Christian Coleman’s comeback campaign kicked into high gear with a win in the 60. Running his first major competition since serving an 18-month suspension for whereabouts failures, the ’19 world champion in the 100 and ’18 world champion in the 60 looked sharp. He started well and held off Trayvon Bromell to win by 0.01 in 6.49. Ronnie Baker (6.54) finished strong for 3rd, while 200 world champ Noah Lyles (6.62) was 4th.
“I thought the time would be a little bit faster,” said Coleman. “But I really just wanted to execute a good race and come out with a win.” He received a loud and overwhelmingly positive reaction from the crowd during prerace introductions. “I haven’t been at the starting line and heard my name announced like that in so long and so I was really humbled,” he said. “I’m excited to keep going.”
The longer distances provided thrilling competition, topped by Olli Hoare’s win in the meet’s signature race, the Wanamaker Mile. Thanks to excellent pacing from Erik Sowinski (56.89, 1:54.87), a fast time was in the cards. With a lap and a half to go, Josh Kerr tried to steal the race and at the 1500 the Olympic bronze medalist (3:35.48) still had a slight lead over Hoare (3:35.51).
Ultimately, however, he was no match for the Aussie’s final sprint and Hoare flew by to win in an NR 3:50.83 to celebrate his 25th birthday. “When Josh passed me I was actually quite surprised,” said Hoare, who finished 11th in the Tokyo final last summer. “I thought he would pass me with a lap to go. But I was pretty relaxed and I was confident that I could go again.”
Kerr was rewarded with a PR 3:52.27. “I knew I was hurting and my guess is that if I’m hurting, most of the race is hurting, so I just like to press on the wound a little bit and see who falls about,” said the Scot. “And today it might’ve been me, but that’s just the way it goes, and that’s how I get better.”
Colby Alexander gamely tried to hang with the leaders, and finished 3rd in a PR 3:52.84 (as well as a 1500 PR of 3:36.28), not far off the U.S. top 10 list. Back in 9th, 38-year-old Nick Willis (3:59.71) dipped under 4:00, marking the 20th consecutive year he’s broken that still-magical barrier. Training partner Hobbs Kessler (8th in 3:59.66), who was born a month after Willis’ streak began, helped pace the double Olympic medalist.
After a strong early pace, the 3000 was shaping up to be a battle between Cooper Teare and Cole Hocker. And just when it looked like Teare was going to hold off his former Oregon teammate, Geordie Beamish — only 5th at the bell — scorched the last lap in 25.70 and snuck through on the inside lane to steal the victory. His time of 7:39.50 was a New Zealand Record, while Teare (7:39.61) and Hocker (7:39.83) also dipped under 7:40 and set PRs.
“I know they are training together and probably focused on each other and I had a feeling they would end up going wide just to fight each other off,” said Beamish, the ’19 NCAA Indoor mile champ for Northern Arizona. “I had a feeling that if I stuck to the inside then it would open up like that.”
Other winners included Devon Allen (7.51) in the 60H and Bryce Hoppel (1:46.05) in the 800. Hoppel didn’t have to contend with world champion Donavan Brazier, who opted for the 400. Brazier, in his first race since faltering at the Olympic Trials, finished 3rd in a PR 46.55, not far behind Jamaican winner Christopher Taylor (46.38).
MILLROSE GAMES MEN’S RESULTS
(World Indoor Tour Gold; 200 banked)
60: 1. Christian Coleman (US) 6.49; 2. Trayvon Bromell (US) 6.50; 3. Ronnie Baker (US) 6.54;
4. Noah Lyles (US) 6.62; 5. Josephus Lyles (US) 6.68; 6. Omar McLeod (Jam) 6.70; 7. Bryan Sosoo (Gha) 6.83.
400: 1. Christopher Taylor (Jam) 46.38; 2. Vernon Norwood (US) 46.45; 3. Donavan Brazier (US) 46.55 PR.
800: 1. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:46.05 (52.17/53.88); 2. Michael Saruni (Ken) 1:46.32 (52.51/53.81); 3. Isaiah Harris (US) 1:46.49 (52.52/53.97); 4. Saúl Ordóñez (Spa) 1:47.56; 5. Kameron Jones (US) 1:47.92; 6. Jesús López (Mex) 1:48.60 PR; 7. Charlie Hunter (Aus) 1:48.89; 8. Isaiah Jewett (US) 1:49.59;… rabbit—Robert Downs (US) (24.90, 51.59).
Wanamaker Mile: 1. Olli Hoare (Aus) 3:50.83 NR (3:35.51); 2. Josh Kerr (GB) 3:52.27 PR (3:35.48 PR); 3. Colby Alexander (US) 3:52.84 PR (3:36.28 PR); 4. Sam Prakel (US) 3:55.73 (3:40.56); 5. Johnny Gregorek (US) 3:55.93 (3:39.85); 6. Mario García (Spa) 3:57.98 (3:42.07 PR); 7. Mariano García (Spa) 3:59.61; 8. Hobbs Kessler (US) 3:59.66 (3:43.91); 9. Nick Willis (NZ) 3:59.71 (19th consecutive year with sub-4:00) (3:44.24); 10. Craig Engels (US) 4:01.30 (3:43.22); 11. Henry Wynne (US) 4:03.00 (3:47.53); 12. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 4:03.81 (3:46.82); 13. Clayton Murphy (US) 4:05.27 (3:46.05);… rabbit—Erik Sowinski (US) (56.89, 57.68 [1:54.57]).
Mile: 1. Shane Streich (US) 3:57.98 (3:42.42); 2. Luke McCann (Ire) 3:58.21 (3:42.27); 3. Dan Schaffer (US) 3:59.31 (3:43.13); 4. Cameron Ponder (US) 3:59.48 (3:42.95); 5. Eric Holt (US) 4:00.92 (3:44.67); 6. Abe Alvarado (US) 4:01.35 (3:43.62); 7. Theo Quax (NZ) 4:02.67 (3:44.88).
3000: 1. Geordie Beamish (NZ) 7:39.50 NR; 2. Cooper Teare (US) 7:39.61 PR; 3. Cole Hocker (US) 7:39.83 PR; 4. Luis Grijalva (Gua) 7:41.21 NR; 5. Conner Mantz (US) 7:41.43 PR; 6. Andrew Hunter (US) 7:42.63 PR;
7. Morgan Beadlescomb (MiSt) 7:43.22 PR(6, 6 C; 2, 2 AmC; in/out: 8, 8 C; 4, 4 AmC);
8. Sam Parsons (Ger) 7:44.99 PR; 9. John Gay (Can) 7:45.34; PR 10. Mason Ferlic (US) 7:47.39 PR; 11. Wesley Kiptoo (Ken) 7:55.53; 12. Charles Hicks (GB) 7:59.02 PR; 13. James West (GB) 7:59.96;… rabbit—Jeremy Hernandez (US) (2:33.78).
60H: 1. Devon Allen (US) 7.51; 2. Daniel Roberts (US) 7.53; 3. Shane Brathwaite (Bar) 7.67; 4. Freddie Crittenden (US) 7.71; 5. Michael Dickson (US) 7.76; 6. Chad Zallow (US) 7.78; 7. Nicholas Andrews (Aus) 7.81; 8. Joseph Daniels (Can) 7.90.
3000W (USATF Ch): 1. Nick Christie (US) 11:43.46; 2. Benjamin Thorne (Can) 11:55.42; 3. Dan Nehnevaj (US) 12:08.48; 4. Emmanuel Corvera (US) 12:09.62; 5. Samuel Allen (US) 12:22.90; 6. John Cody Risch (US) 12:23.11; 7. Jordan Crawford (US) 12:26.41; 8. Bricyn Healey (US) 12:51.18; 9. Steven Smith (US) 12:59.66; 10. Carson Johnson (US) 13:01.55; 11. Blake Weiss (US) 13:26.98; 12. Dmitry Babenko (Can) 13:43.93.
Field Events
SP: all results wiped out by measuring malfunctions — a supposed 76-8½ (23.38) by Ryan Crouser more like 73-8 (22.45).
Wt(1/27): 1. Rudy Winkler (US) 79-½ (24.09) PR. ◻︎