by Rich Sands
The 111th edition of the Millrose Games got a jolt of energy from two World Records, that highlighted an intense afternoon for a crowd of 5550 at New York City’s Armory.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo matched the longstanding best time in the 300, while a quartet of American women moved to the top of the all-time 4 x 800 list.
Miller-Uibo, the Bahamas’ Olympic 400 champ, blasted out of lane 5 quickly and maintained her form all the way to the tape in 35.45.
That equaled the 25-year-old standard set by Russian Irina Privalova.
“With a 300 you don’t have to hold back too much,” said the exhausted Georgia alum, who required several minutes to regain her composure.
“It’s a fun race, especially for an indoor meet with the tight curves.”
The 4×8 was set up as an assault on the 8:06.24 produced by a Russian team in ’11, and the lineup of Chrishuna Williams, Raevyn Rogers, Charlene Lipsey and Ajee’ Wilson was expected to have a solo run.
But Williams’ opening 2:05.10 put the foursome in a hole against the record and more than a second behind a rival New York All-Stars squad.
Rogers (2:00.45) then moved the favorites to the front, but Lipsey (2:01.98) handed off to Wilson virtually in tandem with the All- Stars, aided by a 2:00.45 from Ce’aira Brown.
Wilson grabbed the baton and immediately opened up a lead. The WC bronze medalist held on for a blazing 1:58.37 split to get the win—and slip under the old record with an 8:05.89. The All-Stars finished in 8:11.45, the No. 3 time ever.
Wilson credited the vocal fan support for the record. “This is definitely the loudest race I’ve ever competed in here,” the New Jersey native said. “It doesn’t seem like there’s many people here, but the way the stands are set up it makes it feel like there’s a million people.”
The stat book also took a beating in the men’s 800, with Emmanuel Korir moving to No. 3 on the all-time list at 1:44.21.
Last year’s NCAA champion indoors and out for UTEP, the lanky Kenyan (who has since turned pro) passed Donavan Brazier with half a lap to go and recorded the fastest time in the world in 17 years. In his wake, Brazier (1:45.35) and Drew Windle (1:45.53) moved to Nos. 2 and 3 on the all-time U.S. list.
Chris O’Hare won the meet’s most iconic race, the Wanamaker Mile, using a surge after the half to open up a 2-second gap on the pack. Still in front by 1.53 at the 1500 (3:37.63), the Scotsman was struggling down the homestretch but held on for a 3:54.14 victory, ahead of NCAA champ (and fellow Scot) Josh Kerr (3:54.72) of New Mexico and Ben Blankenship (3:54.77).
“I just wanted to make it hard—for myself and everyone else,” O’Hare said. “Every time I looked up [at the screen] they were a bit closer, but I just tried to stay smooth. I tightened up a lot on the last lap, but that’s what happens when you put in such a big effort with 600, 700m to go.”
The women’s 3000 featured no shortage of runners eager to take the lead, including Karissa Schweizer, who moved to the front with 4 laps to go.
Aisha Praught Leer and Emma Coburn responded quickly and the training partners dueled over the closing laps, with Praught Leer scoring a narrow 0.06 victory in 8:41.10.
“Emma and I had talked about working together and making sure that we made it fast,” the winner said. “We were thinking we would be the only ones with that idea, but I guess not. It’s a World Indoor year and people are going for it.”
Dominique Scott (8:41.18) closed fastest to pass Schweizer for 3rd, but the Missouri senior was rewarded with a Collegiate Record 8:41.60, supplanting Jenny Simpson’s 8:42.03 from ’09.
The women’s vault was slated to be one of the day’s marquee showdowns, with Katerína Stefanídi and Sandi Morris— the top two finishers at the last two global championships—featured on the cover of the meet program.
But the American withdrew shortly before competition began due to back pain, which theoretically simplified her Greek rival’s path to victory.
The Olympic and world champ was matched, however, by American Katie Nageotte at 15-5½ (4.71), coming out ahead on the countback after both missed 3 times at 15-9¼ (4.81). “Always nice to start the season with a win,” Stefanídi posted on Instagram. “Took some big jumps but the timing was a little off. Excited to be disappointed with a 4.71m.”
In the men’s 60 hurdles, Devon Allen looked sharp to run down Aries Merritt off the final barrier, setting a PR 7.50 to win by 0.03.
Colleen Quigley (4:30.05) won the women’s mile by the same margin, her celebration at the line nearly allowing training mate Kate Grace to slip by. “I almost did the one thing you’re not supposed to do,” the steeplechase specialist said. “I’m glad I didn’t have to learn the hard way.”
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New York City, February 03 (200m banked)— 60: 1. Ronnie Baker (Nik) 6.48; 2. Noah Lyles (adi) 6.59 PR; 3. Zhenye Xie’ (Chn) 6.59; 4. Abdullah Mohammed’ (Sau) 6.60 PR. 400: 1. Michael Cherry (Nik) 46.46; 2. Vernon Norwood (NBal) 46.75; 3. Lalonde Gordon’ (Tri) 47.24; 4. Kyle Collins (US) 47.61. 800: 1. Emmanuel Korir’ (Ken) 1:44.21 PR (3, 4 W); 2. Donavan Brazier (Nik) 1:45.35 PR (2, 3 A); 3. Drew Windle (Brk) 1:45.53 PR (3, 5 A); 4. Kyle Langford’ (GB) 1:46.43 PR; 5. Clayton Murphy (Nik) 1:46.61. Wanamaker Mile: 1. Chris O’Hare’ (GB) 3:54.14 (WL); 2. **Josh Kerr’ (NM) 3:54.72 PR (CL) (5, 6 C); 3. Ben Blankenship (OTC) 3:54.77 (AL) (3:39.19 AL); 4. Charlie Grice’ (GB) 3:56.47 PR; 5. Nick Willis’ (NZ) 3:57.72; 6. Kyle Merber (HokaNJNY) 3:57.75. Mile: 1. Eric Avila (unat) 3:57.45 PR; 2. Pat Casey (UArm) 3:57.73; 3. Corey Bellemore’ (Can) 3:58.03. 3000: 1. Shadrack Kipchirchir (USAr) 7:45.49; 2. *Justyn Knight’ (Syr) 7:45.86 PR (CL) (9, 10 C); 3. Ryan Hill (BowTC) 7:46.65. 60H: 1. Devon Allen (Nik) 7.50 PR; 2. Aries Merritt (Nik) 7.53; 3. Freddie Crittenden (unat) 7.66; 4. *Chad Zallow (Young) 7.70. MileW: 1. Nick Christie (unat) 6:00.37 PR; 2. Emmanuel Corvera (NYAC) 6:06.33 PR. Wt: 1. Conor McCullough (NYAC) 75‑8¼ (23.07). Women: 300: 1. Shaunae Miller‑Uibo’ (Bah) 35.45 =WR (= WR Irina Privalova [Rus] ’93); (in/out: =5, =5 W); 2. Sage Watson’ (Can) 37.08 PR; 3. Jaide Stepter (US) 37.23 PR; 4. Courtney Okolo (Nik) 37.28. Mile: 1. Colleen Quigley (BowTC) 4:30.05; 2. Kate Grace (BowTC) 4:30.08; 3. Ciara Mageean’ (Ire) 4:30.99; 4. Lauren Johnson (BAA) 4:31.63 PR. 3000: 1. Aisha Praught Leer’ (Jam) 8:41.10 NR; 2. Emma Coburn (NBal) 8:41.16 PR (6, 7 A); 3. Dominique Scott’ (SA) 8:41.18 NR; 4. Karissa Schweizer (Mo) 8:41.60 CR, absolute CR (old CRs 8:42.03i Jenny Simpson [Co] ’09) (8, 9 A; in/out: 1, 1 C). 60H: 1. Tobi Amusan’ (Ngr) 7.90; 2. Kristi Castlin (Nik) 8.02; 3. Queen Harrison (Asics) 8.03; 4. Monique Morgan’ (Jam) 8.09 PR. MileW: 1. Maria Michta-Coffey (OisWUSA) 6:35.77; 2. Kate Veale’ (Ire) 6:44.17 PR; 3. Taylor Ewert (Ohio HS) 6:45.68 HSR (old HSR 6:53.44 Lauren Harris [NYHS] ’17). HS 4 x 200: 1. Bullis, Potomac, Maryland 1:36.34 (8 A; 3 HS). 4 x 800: 1. USA All‑Stars 8:05.89 WR, AR (old WR 8:06.24 Moscow [Rus] ’11; old AR 8:25.5 Villanova ’87) (in/out: 4 A) (Chrishuna Williams 2:05.10, Raevyn Rogers 2:00.45, Charlene Lipsey 2:01.97, Ajee’ Wilson 1:58.37); 2. NY All Stars 8:11.45 (3W); 3. Jamaica’ 8:17.75 (9W; #3 nation). HJ: 1. Vashti Cunningham (Nik) 6‑5 (1.96) (AL); 2. Inika McPherson (US) 6‑2¾ (1.90); 3. Erika Kinsey’ (Swe) 6‑¾ (1.85); 4. Priscilla Frederick’ (Ant) 6‑¾. PV: 1. Katerina Stefanidi’ (Gre) 15‑5½ (4.71); 2. Katie Nageotte (NYAC) 15‑5½; 3. Alysha Newman’ (Can) 15‑1½ (4.61);… nh—Megan Clark (NYAC). Wt: 1. Jeneva McCall Stevens (NYAC) 79‑2¾ (24.15). |
