NEW YORK CITY, February 08 – Even by the lofty standards of the most hallowed indoor track meet in the world, the 117th edition of the Millrose Games was an all-time classic. Americans Yared Nuguse and Grant Fisher broke World Records in the mile and 3000 while Josh Hoey added a U.S. Record in the 800. The sold-out crowd went wild as the Armory’s newly resurfaced blue oval bolstered the facility’s claim to be the fastest track in the world.
Nuguse arrived in New York as the two-time defending champion of the Wanamaker Mile, the meet’s signature race. A much-hyped duel with world champion Josh Kerr fizzled before the gun was fired when the reigning 1500 world champion scratched with illness.
“The race tactic was gonna be the same,” said Nuguse, who was disappointed not to face Kerr. “I want to get to the front and grind, no matter what anyone else does.”
And the Olympic bronze medalist followed that plan perfectly. He came through the quartermile in 57.39, right on the heels of pacer Abe Alvarado. Nuguse hit halfway in 1:53.29 and assumed the lead a lap later when Alvarado stepped aside.
Though Hobbs Kessler was right on his heels, Nuguse never panicked and continued to press the pace, passing three-quarters in 2:50.23. Kessler gamely tried to take the lead off the final turn, but Nuguse held on and crossed the line in 3:46.63. That toppled the 3:47.01 WR set in 2019 by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha.
Nuguse had come close to the record at Millrose in 2023 (3:47.38 AR) and 2024 (3:47.83) and said that the key to finally breaking it was “just more confidence from the Olympics, more confidence in my training. I’m now like two and a half years into my pro career. I’ve learned a lot. I’m not afraid of the front anymore and I’m willing to go hurt by myself if I need to. And third time’s the charm.”
Kessler (3:46.90) was also under the old record and is now No. 2 on the U.S. all-time absolute list, 0.01 ahead of Alan Webb’s former outdoor AR from ’07. Australian teenager Cam Myers closed well for 3rd in 3:47.48, smashing the World U20 Record of 3:53.12 he set at the Armory two weeks earlier and setting a new national record. France’s Azeddine Habz (3:47.56 NR) took 4th, followed by Virginia’s Gary Martin (3:48.82) — who moved to No. 2 on the all-time collegiate list — Great Britain’s Neil Gourley (3:49.22) and Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran (3:49.26 NR).
Nuguse — the first man to win three straight Wanamaker Miles since Bernard Lagat took six in a row from 2005 to ’10 — came through 1500 in 3:31.74, breaking his own AR (3:33.22) and moving to No. 5 on the all-time list.
Earlier in the program, the 3000 was hyped as a duel between Fisher, the double bronze medalist at last summer’s Olympics, and Cole Hocker, the 1500 champion from Paris. “It’s cool that we’re willing to battle each other,” Fisher said. “We’re both coming off the biggest seasons of our lives and it would be easy to rest on that and not challenge any competitive runners. I think we both wanted to come out and fight.”
The pacers set a solid tempo of 2:28.83 at 1000 and 3:57.88 at 1600. At 1800, Fisher assumed the lead, but Hocker and Aussie Ky Robinson were close behind.
Fisher (4:58.01) still had the lead at 2000, but with three laps to go, Hocker boldly moved to the front. With 150m remaining, Fisher tried to retake the lead, but Hocker was relentless. Fisher made one more move off the final turn and this time he was able to edge ahead in an epic homestretch duel.
He covered his last 200 in 27.50 and hit the tape in 7:22.91, taking down Ethiopian Lamecha Girma’s 7:23.81 from two years ago. The time also puts him No. 4 on the absolute all-time list. Hocker (7:23.14) also ran under the old record. France’s Jimmy Gressier (7:30.18 NR) passed Robinson (7:30.38 NR) for 3rd.
“It really couldn’t have turned out any better,” said Fisher, who, like Nuguse, pocketed a $25,000 WR bonus. “I’m kind of in shock, I didn’t think we would go that quick. I thought we might be able to challenge the American Record [Nuguse’s 7:28.23 from ’23] and I thought I was in shape for that. And clearly Cole thought he was in pretty good shape, too.”
Hocker was emotional after the race. “A year ago, two years ago, three years ago, I’ve had some amazing races and I never had that confidence that I had today,” he said. “Coming back from the Olympics, being introduced this season for the first time as Olympic gold medalist, there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders, at least that I internalize.”
Josh Hoey was denied a spot in the Wanamaker Mile, but made the most of his opportunity in the 800. He took the lead from the rabbit at 400 (51.01) and held off a late challenge from Bryce Hoppel in the final 50m.
Hoey powered through the line in 1:43.90, improving the American Record of 1:44.21, held by Donavan Brazier since ’21. “I have it in my Instagram bio, ‘Run With Confidence,’ and what that means to me is just overcoming and running against those nerves,” said Hoey, who previously broke the 1000 AR this winter. “I’ve had a lot of years where I was struggling and had to come back from extremely low confidence.”
Hoppel — who had not lost to another American since May ’23 — lowered his PR to 1:44.19, while Jonah Koech (1:44.82) moved to No. 4 on the U.S. all-time list.
Back in 6th place, 16-year-old Texas prep Cooper Lutkenhaus clocked 1:46.86 to break the HSR (1:47.67) set by Hoey in ’18. “I always thought if I could get the big boy record and hand off the high school one, that would be the dream way to go,” Hoey said with a laugh.
Dylan Beard won the 60H for the second year in a row, setting a PR 7.38 to move into the U.S. all-time Top 10. “I love what they’ve done to the track. I could feel it,” he said. “I’m just building off of last year, so I gotta come up with fire.”
Will Sumner continued his comeback from injury with a win in the 600. He clocked 1:14.04 to move to No. 3 on the all-time world list. Unheralded Marcellus Moore took the 60 over ’16 world indoor champ Trayvon Bromell, 6.56–6.59.
MILLROSE MEN’S RESULTS
(World Indoor Tour Gold)
60: 1. Marcellus Moore (US) 6.56 =PR; 2. Trayvon Bromell (US) 6.59; 3. Pjai Austin (US) 6.61; 4. Benjamin Azamati (Gha) 6.63; 5. Miles Lewis (PR) 6.64; 6. J.T. Smith (US) 6.67; 7. Nigel Green (US) 6.69 PR.
600: 1. Will Sumner (US) 1:14.04 PR (WL) (3, 4 W, A) (1:01.17);
2. Isaiah Jewett (US) 1:14.17 PR (4, 5 W, A) (1:01.45 PR);
3. Brandon Miller (US) 1:14.37 (x, 6 W, A) (1:01.26 PR);
4. Quincy Wilson (US) 1:16.20 PR (2, 2 HS) (1:02.88);
5. Luciano Fiore (US) 1:16.37 PR (1:03.10 PR).
800: 1. Josh Hoey (US) 1:43.90 AR (old AR 1:44.21 Donavan Brazier [Nike] ’21) (WL) (3, 3 W) (24.46, 26.55 [51.01], 26.63 [1:17.64], 26.27]) (51.01/52.89);
2. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:44.19 PR (6, 7 W; 2, 2 A);
3. Jonah Koech (US) 1:44.82 PR (4, 7 A);
4. Mark English (Ire) 1:45.15 NR;
5. Alex Amankwah (Gha) 1:45.82 NR;
6. Cooper Lutkenhaus (US) 1:46.86 WYR, AYR, HSR (old WYR 1:48.12 Mohammed Aman [Eth] ’11) (old AR, HSR 1:47.67 Josh Hoey [PaHS] ’18);
7. Shane Cohen (US) 1:47.01 PR.
Mile: 1. Yared Nuguse (US) 3:46.63 WR, AR (old WR 3:47.01 Yomif Kejelcha [Eth] ’19; old AR 3:47.38 Nuguse ’23) (in/out: x, 3 A) (3:31.74 AR—old AR 3:33.22 Nuguse ’24) (WL) (5, 6 W) (57.38, 55.91 [1:53.29], 56.94 [2:50.23], 56.40);
2. Hobbs Kessler (US) 3:46.90 PR (2, 2 W, A) (in/out: 10, x W) (3:31.89 PR—7, 9 W; 2, 2 A) (57.60, 55.89 [1:53.49], 57.01 [2:50.50], 56.40);
3. Cam Myers (Aus) 3:47.48 WJR (old WJR 3:53.12 Myers ’25) (4, 5 W) (in/out WJR—old 3:48.06 Raynold Kipkorir [Kenya] ’23) (3:32.67 WJR—old WJR 3:34.83 Biniam Mehary [Eth] ’24) (58.27, 55.88 [1:54.15], 56.98, [2:51.13], 56.35);
4. Azeddine Habz (Fra) 3:47.56 NR (5, 6 W) (3:32.24 NR —9, x W);
5. Gary Martin (US) 3:48.82 PR (8, x W; 4, 7 A; 2, 2 C) (3:33.41 =CR Ethan Strand [NC] ’25) (4, =5 A) (in/out: 6, x A);
6. Neil Gourley (GB) 3:49.22 PR (3:33.18); 7. Andrew Coscoran (Ire) 3:49.26 NR (3:33.40 NR); 8. Robert Farken (Ger) 3:49.93 (3:33.14 NR); 9. Jochem Vermeulen (Bel) 3:53.68 PR (3:36.08 PR); 10. Vincent Ciattei (US) 3:55.04 (3:37.50); 11. Henry Wynne (US) 3:55.52 (3:39.53).
3000: 1. Grant Fisher (US) 7:22.91 WR, AR (old WR 7:23.81 Lamecha Girma [Eth] ’23; old AR 7:28.23 Yared Nuguse [OAC] ’23) (2:29.08, 2:28.93 [4:58.01—5, 5 A], 2:24.90);
2. Cole Hocker (US) 7:23.14 PR (2, 2 W; 2, 2 A);
3. Jimmy Gressier (Fra) 7:30.18 NR; 4. Ky Robinson (Aus) 7:30.38 NR;
5. Dylan Jacobs (US) 7:30.45 PR (7, 7 A);
6. Cooper Teare (US) 7:30.62 PR (8, 8 A);
7. Olin Hacker (US) 7:38.52 PR; 8. Adam Fogg (GB) 7:40.84 PR; 9. Olli Hoare (Aus) 7:45.42 PR; 10. Stewart McSweyn (Aus) 7:45.46; 11. Sean McGorty (US) 7:47.97 PR.
60H: 1. Dylan Beard (US) 7.38 PR (WL) (=8, x A);
2. Cordell Tinch (US) 7.43 PR; 3. Cameron Murray (US) 7.52; 4. De’vion Wilson (US) 7.57; 5. Eric Edwards (US) 7.64; 6. Freddie Crittenden (US) 7.68; 7. Edward Williams (US) 7.78 PR; 8. Gregory Foster (US) 7.99.
MileW: 1. Ever Palma (Mex) 5:24.50 WB; 2. Perseus Karlström (Swe) 5:32.34 PR; 3. Christopher Linke (Ger) 5:35.83 PR; 4. Diego García (Spa) 5:44.84 PR; 5. Cole Bennett (US) 6:12.36 PR; 6. Dillan Melchiore (US) 6:13.58 PR; 7. Jordan Crawford (US) 6:15.13 PR; 8. Jason Cherng (US) 6:15.34 PR.
Wt(2/06): 1. Tyler Williams (US) 75-6¼ (23.02); 2. Alex Kristeller (US) 73-½ (22.26) PR.