As another busy weekend draws to a close, James Rhodes brings you the racing highlights from the track. 

The Millrose Games seems unlike any other indoor meeting. There are no wave lights, the officials are in tuxedos, it’s a comparatively intimate venue. Perhaps it is the combination of this alongside its history, its prestige, its atmosphere; but it always delivers incredible races. Saturday’s edition was no different, with some wonderful races – not solely time trials – across the middle distances.

One of the best races came in the men’s 3000m, with 1500m Olympic Champion Cole Hocker duelling alongside longer distance specialist Grant Fisher. The pair were inseparable throughout. Hocker made the first move before Fisher took the lead on the final lap, finishing in 7:22.91 – a World Indoor Record. Hocker’s 7:23.14 was also inside the old mark of Lamecha Girma. In eighth, Adam Fogg ran a PB of 7:40.84, one week after a 3:49.85 mile. He now sits ninth on the UK all-time list indoors, and has secured the European Indoor qualifying standard.

Sadly, Melissa Courtney Bryant was a late withdrawal from the women’s 3000m.

More Millrose Magic

Georgia Bell become the fourth British woman to win the Wanamaker Mile. A cagey race saw the pack ignore the pacemaker, but Bell was able to come through for victory in 4:23.35. Moving to fourth on the British all-time list, she sits behind Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie and Katie Snowden. The top four were separated by less than 0.3 seconds.

Photo: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun

Perhaps it was fate that the best race was left till last, the men’s Wanamaker Mile. Yared Nuguse broke Yomif Kejelcha’s World Indoor Record with 3:46.63, becoming the first athlete to run inside 3:47 indoors. Closely behind was Hobbs Kessler (3:46.90) and Australian junior Cameron Myers (3:47.48). Myers’ time is a World U20 Record.

In sixth, Neil Gourley ran a PB of 3:49.22, his third sub-3:50 mile and second indoors. Until last week (Adam Fogg), no other Brit had run sub-3:50 indoors twice. Close behind, Andrew Coscoran set an outright Irish Record of 3:49.26. Fittingly, previous holders Eamonn Coghlan and now-Meeting Director Ray Flynn were there to watch.

Andrew Coscoran, Eamonn Coghlan & Ray Flynn. Photo: Dan Moses

European Round Up

A handful of British athlete travelled to Metz in France for the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor. Amongst them was Jemma Reekie, becoming the first Brit to run sub-two this year with 1:59.72 in her season opener.  She finished second to World Indoor Champion Tsige Duguma and secured both the World and European Indoor Championships standard. Over the same distance, Elliot Giles opened his 800m campaign with 1:45.89 for third. He will now move back to racing the mile for his next races.

Elliot Giles with coach Jon Bigg. Photo: Bjorn Paree

In the pre-programme, Henry Jonas ran an indoor lifetime best of 1:48.00. Falkirk’s Kane Elliott ran an outright PB of 8:01.12 in the pre-programme 3000m. Also racing for the first time this year, Katie Snowden clocked 4:06.44 in the 1500m. She is one of many athletes to have accepted her invite to the upcoming British Indoor Championships.

Photo: Bjorn Paree

On Friday, Callum Dodds opened his season with 1:47.79 in the men’s 800m at the Gran Premio Ciudad de Valencia. He finished sixth. Tom Keen finished fourth in the 3000m. His time of 7:46.76 was less than one second shy of his PB set last month. Finally, Ava Lloyd (4:21.36) was ninth in the 1500m.

On Tuesday, making her World Indoor Tour debut, Innes FitzGerald smashed the European U20 Record for 3000m. Having at the Czech Indoor Gala, she clocked 8:40.05 to take ten seconds off the previous mark. She also became the seventh British woman to have the European Indoor Championships standard for the distance.

Photo: Czech Indoor Gala