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New Zealand's Nick Willis - Source: Photosport -
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New Zealand runner Nick Willis defended his mile title at the
15th Boston Indoor Games with a sharp performance on
Sunday which proves his return from injury is on track.
Olympic Games 1500m silver medalist Willis won in a classy three
minutes 55.27 seconds, 3m clear of Will Leer. Another American,
David Torrence, was third a further second behind.
New Zealander Tom Osborne was 10th and last in 4min 07.44sec.
The race marked a top-level return to running for Willis, whose
2009 season was largely ruined by a hip injury suffered this time
last year. He competed last month in some low-key meets in New
Zealand.
He employed a last-lap sprint to overhaul Leer.
"I had no idea how I'd do; this was totally surprising to me,"
Willis told journalists.
"I felt great with 400 (two laps) to go, but when I crossed the
line I was exhausted. I was really glad when Leer took the lead (on
lap seven.) I knew I could come back on him, and it gave me a
slingshot to work off."
The long layoff (caused by a labral hip tear) may be a blessing in
disguise because his 2010 season won't peak until the Commonwealth
Games in New Delhi in October.
"I wasn't shocked that Nick would get me," Leer said.
"I thought I was ready for him but still couldn't hold him
off."
Also at Sunday's meet, Bernard Lagat of the United States shattered
the American record in the indoor 5000m.
Lagat's time of 13 minutes, 11.50 seconds beat the previous mark by
almost 7 seconds. He held off a desperate charge by Ethiopia's
Dejen Gebremeskel, who finished in 13:11.78
Galen Rupp, the former record-holder, was fourth in 13:14.21, still
ahead of his old record of 13:18.12.
Ethiopians ran 1-2 in a strong women's 3,000 field, with world
junior champ Kalkidan Gezahegn holding off Genzebe Dibaba and
American Shannon Rowbury to win in 8:45.19.
Dibaba is the younger sister of Tirunesh Dibaba, the two-time
Olympic gold medalist who ran away with the 5,000 in 14:44.53.
