Gregorek, DeGenero win thrilling Guardian Mile races
Men's champion, Gregorek, four-peats at 6th edition; $25,000 in prize money awarded
By Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND — Fractions of a second separated the winners in both the Elite men’s and women’s race at the 2024 Guardian Mile, held across the iconic Hope Memorial Bridge in downtown Cleveland on Saturday evening, July 27.
The World Athletics-certified course and World Athletics calendar race brought top elite runners from around the country.
The Women’s Elite race went to the wire with Columbus native Micaela DeGenero edging out 2020 1500 meter Olympian Heather MacLean at the tape. DeGenero finished in 4 minutes, 34.57 seconds, with MacLean coming in closely behind at 4:34.79.
“The wind was really strong. Heather went out really strong. I thought for sure I was racing for second,” said DeGenero.
“Once we started to go downhill I put in a surge and with 300 or so I did everything I could to catch her,” she added.
The Men’s Elite race was equally as close, but a surge at the end by Johnny Gregorek gave him the edge for a four-peat, winning the event in 3:59.96 over Jack Anstey and Mick Stanovsek, 4:00.50 and 4:00.60, respectively.
Gregorek said, “I know this course well, and I love the city of Cleveland.”
Continue reading, with race photos, at: cleveland.com
More on the 6th Guardian Mile HERE, including race results.
