Purrier pulverizes U.S. indoor Mile record at 113th Millrose Games
O’Hare wins men’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile for the second time in three years
Summary by BBTM with support from Nick Nicholas, The Armory
NEW YORK – On Saturday afternoon at The Armory New Balance Track & Field Center, the athletes delivered an outstanding, historic 113th Millrose Games. In the famed Wanamaker Mile, Elinor Purrier won a thrilling race, clocking a meet record 4:16.85 to shatter Mary Slaney’s longstanding U.S. indoor record of 4:20.5 from 1982. In addition, three other national records were set by defending champion Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), 4:17.26, Jemma Reekie (GBR), 4:17.88, and Gabriela Debues-Stafford (CAN), 4:19.73, and eight women went sub-4:30 in arguably the greatest women's indoor Mile race ever.
“I was just focused on competing, I wasn’t really listening to the splits at all. Honestly, I’m just trying to soak it in. It hasn’t really hit me yet,” said the shocked Purrier, 24, now the second fastest woman all-time indoors and second fastest American woman ever in the Mile (Slaney holds the U.S. outdoor record of 4:16.71).
In the men’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile, Chris O’Hare of Great Britain captured the crown for the second time in three years, breaking the beam in 3:55.61, followed by Oliver Hoare of Australia and American Rob Napolitano in 3:56.47 and 3:56.56, respectively. Overall, ten men ran the benchmark sub-4 standard (see results below).
“I knew Filip (Ingebrigsten) would be in the front and be super strong, super confident, so I knew he would be the one taking it and he was the one I was going to have to beat from the bell. I felt ready,” said O’Hare, 29, who also won the iconic race in 2018.
Young talent Donavan Brazier & Ajee' Wilson also lowered their U.S. indoor 800 meter records in 1:44.22 and 1:58.29, respectively.
Lost in the jaw-dropping record rampage, Marlee Starliper, from Dillsburg, PA, defended her high school Mile title in 4:37.76, a meet record and #2 all-time indoors U.S. high school-only.
For complete results, go to: results.nyrrmillrosegames.org
Photo credit: Kevin Morris