From Drake Relays

DES MOINES, Iowa – A collection of some of the world's top Milers will again descend upon Des Moines as Iowa's capital city is set to present the USA Track & Field 1 Mile Road Championships hosted as part of the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, before featuring competitive World Athletics Continental Tour races in the women's Mile and men's 1500 inside legendary Drake Stadium.

The Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark on Tuesday evening, April 21 in downtown Des Moines will again serve as a selection event for the World Athletics Road Running Championships. The top two men's and women's finishers will also automatically qualify for Team USA's trip to Copenhagen, Denmark in September.

In addition, the USA Championship race will award a record $50,000 in ten-deep prize money, $10,000 to each national champion plus U.S. and world record non-cumulative bonus money, $5000 and $7500, respectively.

"The return of the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships to downtown Des Moines is always a tremendous celebration for our city and for the Drake Relays," said Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon. "There's something incredibly special about watching elite Milers race through the heart of downtown to finish on World Record Way, bringing our community together and showcasing Des Moines as a steppingstone to represent Team USA on the international level."

The men's road Mile field is headlined by Yared Nuguse, the 2024 Olympic 1500m bronze medalist and World Indoor Championships 3000m silver medalist. Nuguse holds the U.S. road Mile record of 3:51.9 from 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany. “The Goose” also owns the American track record in the Mile at 3:43.97 (2023), while ranking second all-time among Americans in the 1500 meters with a best of 3:27.80. Vince Ciattei enters Des Moines as a two-time defending champion, setting the event and U.S. All-Comers records (3:54.55), while also winning the Drake Relays 1500m title again in 2025.

Other road Mile runners include Drew Hunter, who claimed the 2025 NACAC 5000m title and recorded an impressive 8:10 performance for 2 Miles at the Millrose Games, Dylan Jacobs, who placed fifth in the 3000 meters at the 2025 World Indoor Championships, and Brannon Kidder, a 2026 USA Indoor Championships qualifier.

A baker's dozen men's participants will double up at the Drake Relays between the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships and the WACT men's 1500m run on the Blue Oval on Saturday, April 25. Paralympic multi-gold and silver medalist Mikey Brannigan will bring international success to Des Moines. Other returning men's veterans include Shane Streich, who placed third in 2022 GBM, Damien Dilcher, last year's men's 1500 runner-up, Tanner Maier, a member of Minnesota State's title winning sprint medley team at 2022 Relays, and Jack Crull, a former Bradley standout who won on the Blue Oval while representing the Braves.

The USATF 1 Mile Road Championships roster will also feature former collegiate standouts Braxton Bruer, Cooper Cawthra, Sam Ellis, Garrett MacQuiddy and Adam Swanson. Wes Porter, who posted the 10th fastest, legal American indoor Mile of all-time in February, plus Yasin Sado and Joe Waskom, a pair of 2024 Olympic Trials participants, round out the men's road Mile and 1500.

Drake fans will notice a familiar face among the men's 1500 lineup in former Bulldog star Isaac Basten, who holds the Bulldogs' school records in the 800 and 1500 outdoors, and 800 and Mile indoors. Basten was also an All-American during his Drake tenure before placing sixth at the Relays last year.

Basten will be joined by Canadian 1500 and Mile national record holder Aaron Ahl and French national champion Titouan Le Grix to complete the men's 1500 field.

The women's road Mile and stadium Mile will also include crossover athletes in both fields, including American 1000m record holder and 2026 World Indoor Championships 800m bronze medalist Addy Wiley. Another former Drake Bulldog, Emilie Meyer, who won the University / College women's 800 last year, will be back in her old stomping grounds. Another former Relays champion, Kat Larson, who won four Relays golds while at Oklahoma State, will compete in both the road Mile and stadium Mile.

Other double-dipping women will include 2026 USA Indoor Championships top 10 finishers Annika Reiss and Taryn Parks, USA Cross Country Championships fifth-place finisher Cailee Peterson, plus former collegiate leaders Kaylee Beyer (Winona State), Brianna Rinn (Utah), Anna Vess (NC State) and Claire Yerby (Washington).

Angelina Ellis, Eleanor Fulton and Gracie Morris will be back in downtown Des Moines for the USATF Road Mile champs. Ellis took ninth last year and was a 2024 Olympic Trials finalist in the steeplechase, Fulton was fifth in the 2025 race, and Morris was second in the USA Indoor Championships 1500 in March and won the 5th Avenue Mile in 2025, clocking a swift 4:15.5.

The women's road Mile field will be rounded out by former World Championship steeplechase and cross country qualifier Allie Ostrander, 2026 USA Half Marathon fourth-place finisher Kassie Parker, 2023 NCAA Indoor Mile champion Olivia Howell, 2025 USA Championship steeplechase finalist Gracie Hyde, and recent collegiate headliners Alex Carlson of Northern Arizona, Sophie McDonnell of New Mexico and Maya Rayle, a 5000m medalist at Wisconsin and Harvard.

A year ago, the running of the women's Mile inside Drake Stadium marked the 50-year anniversary since legend Francie Larrieu's historic effort in 1975. This year's field will look to upend Krissy Gear's smashing Relays and Drake Stadium record of 4:23.69.

The remainder of the women's Mile field is comprised of two Americans in Dani Jones, the 2025 NACAC runner-up, and Christina Aragon, a 2024 Olympic Trials 1500 finalist, plus a handful of international challengers. Kate Current of Canada, the top-finishing returner after taking fifth in 2025, was an Olympian in Paris. Fellow Canadians Maggie Smith, a former Villanova standout, and Rachel Forsyth, the 2024 World Junior Championships 1500 silver medalist will join the fun.

Maltese national record holder and 2026 World Indoor Championships qualifier Gina McNamara, plus Indian national champion and World University Games steeplechase runner-up Ms. Ankita round out the WACT women's mile roster.

"Fans inside Drake Stadium will be treated to world class competition in both the men's 1500 meters and women's Mile," Boldon added. "Those races have historically been among the most competitive and exciting events of the entire weekend, and that expectation continues in 2026.”

Drake Relays Men's USATF 1 Mile Road Championships Field – Tuesday, April 21
Mikey Brannigan
Braxton Bruer
Cooper Cawthra
Vince Ciattei, three-time USA champion (2022, 2024-25)
Jack Crull
Damien Dilcher
Sam Ellis
Drew Hunter
Dylan Jacobs
Brannon Kidder
Garrett MacQuiddy
Tanner Maier
Yared Nuguse, 2024 Paris Olympics 1500m bronze medalist
Wes Porter
Yasin Sado
Shane Streich
Adam Swanson
Joe Waskom

Drake Relays Women's USATF 1 Mile Road Championships Field – Tuesday, April 21
Kaylee Beyer
Alex Carlson
Angelina Ellis
Eleanor Fulton
Olivia Howell
Gracie Hyde
Kat Larson
Sophia McDonnell
Emilie Meyer
Gracie Morris
Allie Ostrander
Kassie Parker
Taryn Parks
Cailee Peterson
Maya Rayle
Annika Reiss
Brianna Rinn
Anna Vess
Addy Wiley
Claire Yerby

Drake Relays Women's Stadium Mile Field - Saturday, April 25
Ms. Ankita (IND)
Christina Aragon
Kaylee Beyer
Kate Current (CAN)
Rachel Forsyth (CAN)
Dani Jones
Kat Larson
Gina McNamara (MLT)
Emilie Meyer
Taryn Parks
Cailee Peterson
Annika Reiss
Brianna Rinn
Maggie Smith (CAN)
Anna Vess
Addy Wiley
Claire Yerby

Drake Relays Men's 1500m Field - Saturday, April 25
Aaron Ahl (CAN)
Isaac Basten
Mikey Brannigan
Braxton Bruer
Cooper Cawthra
Jack Crull
Damien Dilcher
Sam Ellis
Titouan Le Grix (FRA)
Garrett MacQuiddy
Tanner Maier
Wes Porter
Yasin Sado
Shane Streich
Adam Swanson
Joe Waskom

Registration is open at GrandBlueMile.com.

The Grand Blue Mile is also a BBTM Featured Event, showcasing America's best Mile races throughout the year.

By Matt Drake, Oxford Mail Reporter

The Bannister Community Mile will take place on Monday, May 4, transforming central Oxford into a course for runners of all ages and abilities.

Named in honor of Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run a sub-4 minute Mile, the event, its third edition, aims to inspire broad participation in sport and encourage healthier lifestyles across the community.

Dr. Gordon Sanghera of the Sanghera Foundation, this year’s sponsor, said: "The Sanghera Foundation is honored to support the 2026 Bannister Community Mile.

"We believe in the power of sport to transform lives and strengthen communities.

"By sponsoring entry fees for local students, we hope to foster a lasting culture of physical activity and confidence among Oxford’s youth."

The event is closely linked with the Oxford Young Sports Leaders Program, an initiative led since 2023 by the University of Oxford’s SDG Lab with backing from Vincent’s Club and athlete volunteers from the Oxford University Cross Country Club.

The program works with more than 60 Year 8 pupils each year from six Oxford state secondary schools, promoting the value of sport for academic success and physical, mental and social well-being.

With support from the Sanghera Foundation, 30 free places have been made available for each of the participating schools.

Professor Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Oxford Local and Global Engagement), said: "The Bannister Miles is a shining example of how the University can work in partnership with the city to promote health, well-being and community spirit.

"We are committed to ensuring our sports facilities are inclusive and accessible.

"Seeing the High Street filled with residents of all ages – from school children to families – perfectly captures our vision for local engagement."

Continue reading at: oxfordmail.co.uk

By Harry Poole, BBC Sport journalist

Great Britain's Josh Kerr will attempt to break the long-standing men's outdoor Mile world record at the London Diamond League meeting this summer.

Hicham El Guerrouj's current mark of 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds has stood since 1999.

Kerr, who won his third world title by storming to indoor 3000m gold in Poland last week, has a personal best of 3:45.34 over the Mile distance - a British record which places him sixth on the all-time list.

"It's been a huge goal of my career. It's one of the oldest world records on the track and I think it's one of the most important ones," Kerr told BBC Sport.

"It has stood the test of time and needs a huge amount of respect. With the training numbers that we're putting up, I think this year is such a great opportunity to have a real crack at it while not giving up other opportunities.

"It's something that I feel confident to talk about going after. It's a really exciting time."

The London meet, one of 15 stops in this season's Diamond League schedule, takes place on Saturday, July 18.

Kerr reclaimed the indoor 3000m title he won in Glasgow two years ago to complete his post-injury return to global success.

That came six months after the 28-year-old's world 1500m title defence in Tokyo was ruined when he tore a calf muscle during the final.

Back to full health and with no outdoor World Championship to target in 2026, the Olympic 1500m medalist has decided to chase the mark of Morocco's El Guerrouj over a Mile, the iconic distance at which he will seek Commonwealth gold on home soil two weeks later.

"This sport needs moments. I think that setting my goals and being very clear on that is a huge part of giving this record the respect that it deserves," Kerr said.

"To do it in front of a British crowd would just make it extremely special. It's going to be a tough one but I truly think that I'm capable of going after these times."

Continue reading at: bbc.com

Mile world record progression HERE.

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Ireland's 1956 Olympic 1500m champion Ron Delany died on Wednesday, March 11 at the age of 91.

Delany is best remembered for winning the 1956 Olympic 1500m title in Melbourne with a devastating kick finish, setting an Olympic record of 3:41.2, aged just 21-years-old at the time. He remains the last Irish athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics.

Born in Arklow, County Wicklow, on March 6, 1935, Delany moved to Dublin as a child and developed into one of the most talented middle-distance runners of his generation. He studied at Villanova University in the United States under renowned coach Jumbo Elliott and enjoyed remarkable success on the collegiate circuit, winning multiple NCAA titles and establishing himself as a dominant middle-distance runner, particularly indoors where he set Mile world record three times (1958-59).

In 1956, he joined the exclusive group of athletes to break the 4 minute barrier for the Mile, Ireland’s first sub-4, running 3:59.0 earlier that year before going on to achieve Olympic glory in Melbourne. His victory sparked enormous interest in athletics in Ireland and elevated him to national hero status.

Delany continued to compete internationally in the years that followed, claiming bronze in the 1500m at the 1958 European Championships in Stockholm and representing Ireland again at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960.

After retiring from competitive athletics in 1962, Delany enjoyed a successful career in business and sports administration while remaining a passionate ambassador for athletics. He later established a sports marketing and consultancy company and was active for many years within the Irish Olympians Association, continuing to inspire generations of athletes.

Delany’s achievements have long been recognized and celebrated both in Ireland and internationally.

In 2006, he was granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin, while facilities, streets and community landmarks in Ireland have been named in his honor in recognition of his enduring legacy.

“It is incredibly sad to learn of the passing of Ron Delany, whose Olympic 1500m victory in Melbourne – remaining Ireland’s last Olympic gold in athletics – made him a colossus of Irish athletics,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “Ron inspired generations of Irish athletes through his successes in U.S. collegiate track & field. His athletics career burned incredibly brightly but relatively briefly before he transplanted his uncompromising drive and will on the track to a successful career in business and as an inspiring leader in Irish sport over several decades. I cherished his support, friendship and the moments we shared together, not least at the World Athletics Heritage Mile Night in 2019 when we brought together the band of brothers whose feats in the Mile distance resonated across the sporting world.”

One of Delany’s prize possessions – a silver bowl for winning the 1959 Philadelphia Inquirer Mile – forms part of the World Athletics Heritage Collection.

Delany died in Dublin following a short illness, just days after celebrating his 91st birthday.

By David Woods, Special to IndyStar

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nothing ever will compare to the Olympic Games, but Cole Hocker was feeling vibes similar to those from Stade de France.

The JDL Track was bulging with fans beyond listed capacity of 3,000 Saturday night. The ASICS Sound Invite featured lights, sound, camera.

Hocker supplied the action.

“Obviously, it’s a fraction of the people in Paris, but in a much tighter area. It was deafening,” he said. “Every lap felt like it was the last lap of the race. Eight hundred meters into it, I had to rein it in. It’s easy to get excited amid all the chaos.”

Hocker made a bid for an indoor world record and settled for an American record, running the Mile in 3:45.94, #2 all-time indoors and #2 absolute U.S. Mile time.

The 24-year-old Indianapolis native was surrounded afterward by fans wanting autographs and photos. And if anyone wondered whether this banked, 200 meter oval is indeed a fast track, he stated:

“Take it from me. The track feels amazing.”

Hocker was so close to the pacemaker that he was clipping his heels. The finish was so fast – 27.34 for last 200 meters, 54.82 for 400, 1:51.70 for 800 – that there was evidence Hocker did not expend everything.

The Cathedral High graduate broke the U.S. record of 3:46.63 set by Notre Dame grad Yared Nuguse at New York’s Millrose Games famed Wanamaker Mile in February 2025. Hocker’s 1500 meter time en route, 3:30.80, also broke Nuguse’s record of 3:31.74.

Continue reading at: indystar.com

Full race video below.

From Drake Relays

DES MOINES, Iowa – Registration for the 17th Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield opens today, Tuesday, Feb. 10, kicking off a two-day flash sale of just $10. The event returns to downtown Des Moines on Tuesday evening, April 21, 2026, bringing together professional competitors, Masters athletes and community runners of all ages. This year marks the 10th consecutive year the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark will host the USATF 1 Mile Championships and the first year for the USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships, giving fans a full evening of pro and Masters competition.

This year's excitement includes the return of last year's champions, Krissy Gear and Vince Ciattei, who will defend their national road titles. Gear electrified downtown Des Moines in 2025 by shattering the American road Mile record with a 4:23.98 performance, while Ciattei claimed his third USATF 1 Mile crown and defended his 2025 title, both victories coming against world class fields.

The event also welcomes Justin Fiske as part of the USATF Masters 1 Mile, where he'll aim to break the Masters U.S. Record in the 40–44 age group. In addition to Justin, many of America's top Masters athletes will descend on Des Moines this April, with the potential for new records on 'World Record Way.'

"In 2026, the Grand Blue Mile will showcase the full spectrum of competitive running," said Blake Boldon, Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "We are thrilled to welcome back our champions and see Masters athletes target national titles and historic records, all on a fast downtown course that brings the community together in fitness and celebration."

While the elite competition takes center stage, the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark, a Bring Back the Mile Featured Event, remains a family‑friendly event for all abilities. Recreational runners, youth participants and families can celebrate fitness together, making the evening a true community experience.

Registration for the 2026 Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark is open today, Feb. 10, with the $10 flash sale available Feb. 10–11. Don't miss the chance to be part of the excitement - register and learn more at GrandBlueMile.com.

About the Grand Blue Mile
The Grand Blue Mile, a Drake Relays event presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is an annual spring Mile run / walk designed to encourage fitness, wellness and personal achievement. Established in 2010, the event includes recreational, competitive and invitational races featuring elite and Masters athletes from across the nation.

EUGENE, Ore. - The world’s most prestigious Mile race will feature the best of who’s now and who’s next in the men’s Mile as the next generation tries to keep pace with Olympic and World Championship medalists. Since being dedicated to Bill Bowerman in 2000, the Bowerman Mile has seen 298 sub-4 minute performances. In the last 25 years, seven of the world’s ten fastest Mile times have come from the Pre Classic’s Bowerman Mile race at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.

The 2025 Bowerman Mile saw 13 men dip under 3:50 in a race that produced two national records and six personal records. One of those PRs was from Cole Hocker (Indianapolis, Indiana), the headliner of the 2026 Bowerman Mile. Known for his fearless racing style and championship-closing speed, Cole is the reigning Olympic 1500m gold medalist from Paris and won his first World Championship title in the 5000m last year in Tokyo. As a student-athlete for the University of Oregon, Hocker won four NCAA titles. His PR in the Mile at last year’s Pre Classic was clocked at 3:47.43.

Two teenage speedsters will try to chase down Hocker and enter their own names into the Prefontaine Classic record books. Cameron Myers (Australia) will return to Hayward Field seeking to improve on a sixth-place finish in last year’s Bowerman Mile. At the age of just 19, Cam became the youngest-ever winner of the Wanamaker Mile race at last month’s Millrose Games in New York. His career best in the Mile is 3:47.48, which is a world U20 record. Myers' second and third fastest career performances in the Mile have come in Bowerman Mile races (2024 - 3:50.15 & 2025 - 3:47.50).

Joining Hocker and Myers on the starting line will be Sam Ruthe (New Zealand), who last year broke the coverted 4 minute mark in the Mile at the tender age of 15. Last month in Boston, Sam ran a 3:48.88 in his first-ever indoor race to produce a world U18 record. That mark also made Ruthe the youngest to break 3:50 in the Mile, which was previously notched in by Niel Laros (Netherlands) at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic. Laros is the reigning Bowerman Mile champion, and his 3:45.94 mark last year is a Netherlands national record.

The Bowerman Mile will take place on Saturday, July 4th, as part of the two-day event serving as the ninth stop on the 2026 Wanda Diamond League schedule.

Tickets, VIP Experience packages and Accommodations packages will go on sale on Wednesday, February 25 at 10:00am Pacific here.

NEW YORK - At the 118th Millrose Games on Sunday, February 1, with impressive closing speed, Cam Myers and Nikki Hiltz won their first Wanamaker Mile titles, clocking world leading times of 3:47.57 and 4:19.64, respectively.

In the men's race, on the final lap, the Australian Myers, at 19 the second youngest Wanamaker champion (1969 winner Marty Liquori, 19 too, but 95 days younger), pulled away from two Americans, three-time defending champion Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler, who crossed the line in 3:48.31 and 3:48.68. American Nico Young finished strongly in fourth (3:48.72, personal record, #9 individual all-time indoors).

“In a race like this, I can do that,” Myers told LetsRun.com of his move from 300 meters out. “But you get to a championship and it’s difficult to do that. So I think even though this might be my best strategy [right now], I’ve still got to work on the other side. I can’t just be a one-trick pony.”

Hiltz battled Jessica Hull over the last lap, before blasting away from the Paris Olympic silver medalist for the win, 4:19.64 to 4:20.11. Hiltz’s time was an indoor PR to become only the third American woman sub-4:20 indoors. Klaudia Kazimierska captured third with a Polish record of 4:21.36.

“I just wanted to challenge myself and try something new,” Hiltz said. “I know I can close really fast and outkick someone at the end, but I wanted to see if I could hold someone off.”

Overall, a record 10 women went sub-4:25 indoors.

Full men's race video below.

By Jonathan Gault, LetsRun.com

BOSTON — As he prepared to run the first indoor race of his life on Saturday afternoon, January 31, Sam Ruthe sat down with his father, Ben, and ran through some possible outcomes. One week earlier, the Ruthes had been in Whanganui, on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, for the Cooks International Classic, where, on a pleasant summer evening, Sam had finished second in the Mile behind his training mate Sam Tanner. Ruthe’s time was 3:53.83, a world U18 best and the fastest Mile ever run by a 16-year-old.

That was the most recent data point available in forecasting Ruthe’s potential in the Mile at Saturday’s Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic, but Ruthe is at a point in his career where he is improving so rapidly that analyzing recent performances is not altogether helpful. In the last three months, Ruthe has lowered his 800m personal best from 1:50.57 to 1:49.59 to 1:46.81 to 1:45.86, while his 3:53 was an improvement of more than four seconds on his previous best Mile.

Then there was the travel to consider. After driving five hours on Sunday back to their home in Tauranga, a coastal city in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, the Ruthes had spent 50 hours traveling from the Kiwi summer into one of the harshest New England winters in several years, with Monday’s winter storm forcing them to make an unplanned 24-hour stopover in San Francisco on their way east.

Ruthe had managed a light workout of 6 x 200 meters at Harvard University’s indoor track on Thursday and a 30-minute shakeout around a parking garage on Friday to avoid the 23 inches of snow piled up around Boston’s streets. Still, his legs felt a bit heavy come race day.

On the other hand, Ruthe was about to run his first race at Boston University, the fastest indoor track in the world, against a field featuring the sort of depth and quality that is not available to him in domestic races in New Zealand.

Sam told Ben he thought running 3:56 would be a bad day. He felt that matching his time from Whanganui, 3:53, would be okay. Then they discussed a “blow your mind” number — a time that would require a great run but might be possible on a truly special day. Sam settled on 3:48.

World, consider your minds blown.

With frigid, 12-degree Fahrenheit temperatures outside, Ruthe cruised around BU’s launching pad of a track to run 3:48.88 and win the Mile at the Terrier Classic on Saturday. The time crushed Ruthe’s own age-16 and world U18 best, made him the youngest man ever under 3:50 — by more than a full year — and broke the legendary John Walker‘s 44-year-old absolute New Zealand record of 3:49.08, set outdoors in Oslo and shattered Nick Willis' national indoor record of 3:51.06 for 2016.

“I was coming into this race expecting to run sub-3:55,” Ruthe said. “I wasn’t even really expecting a PB. When I crossed the line and saw 3:48, I was a bit surprised myself.”

But that is all he was — a bit surprised. Ruthe’s 16-year-old face did not carry the sort of awestruck expression that usually accompanies a breakthrough of this magnitude. As he approached the finish line, he extended his right arm, clad in a blue and white Nike compression sleeve, and pointed to the stands, before raising the arm into the air, a single digit extended upward.

Ruthe was not collapsed on the track in exhaustion. He was not even bent over, trying to catch his breath. Ruthe made the rounds, shaking hands and posing for a couple of pictures. Within 60 seconds of crossing the finish line, he was conducting a post-race interview with FloTrack.

If you had not seen the previous eight laps, you would be hard-pressed to believe this was a human who had just run a Mile in 3:48. Let alone a 16-year-old.

Continue reading at: letsrun.com

Full race video with post-race interview below

WHANGANUI - New Zealand teen phemon Sam Ruthe became the fastest 16-year-old to ever run the Mile, achieving the feat at the Cooks Gardens Classic on Saturday night.

The Tauranga teenager clocked 3 minutes, 53.83 seconds, shattering the previous single age world record mark of 3:55.44 held by Australian Cam Myers (2023).

Ruthe was narrowly beaten to the finish line by two-time Olympian and training partner Sam Tanner, who helped push the youngster on, as he has done in other races on the domestic scene.

"It feels incredible. That was my goal coming into this race. I was trying to beat Tanner as well, but as soon as the gun started, I just wanted to run as fast as possible," Ruthe told TVNZ.

"To lead out some of this race was something I felt I just had to do. I'll hopefully get my time down faster."

Tanner, 25, defended his national men's senior Mile title, surging past Ruthe in the home straight to win in 3:53.36, just off the stadium record.

Both will leave for the United States next week, with Ruthe eyeing four indoor Mile races on successive weekends, in a campaign he believes will be important for his development.

Ruthe is now #7 on the list of all-time New Zealand Milers, having overtaken the legendary Sir Peter Snell.