Athletics: A smashing mile makes Willis second-fastest to Walker

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Nick Willis edged ahead of Rod Dixon as the second-fastest New Zealander over a mile, recording 3m 53.51s in finishing second to 21-year-old American Alan Webb at the Prefontaine Classic meeting in Eugene, Oregon, yesterday.

Of the 28 New Zealanders who have broken four minutes for the mile, only John Walker (who broke that barrier 129 times) has run faster than Willis.

In bettering his 3m 56.55s previous best in February this year, Willis finished 2.66s behind Webb (3m 50.85s).

En route to his second placing - he held off Kenyan Elkanah Angwenyi - Willis recorded a 1500m split of 3m 38.20s, missing the Olympic A standard for Athens of 3m 36.20s.

Willis said he had mixed emotions after posting a good mile time, but missing his Olympic target.

He said he had not appreciated that the split time showing on the infield clock at the halfway point was a stopclock time for the leader rather than a rolling race time.

He has until July 21 to post an Olympic qualifier and will chase that at meetings in Europe over the next month.

"It is encouraging to see someone as young as him running a time like this," Walker said last night from Melbourne, where he was a guest of honour at a dinner to celebrate the "Miracle of the Mile" 50 years to the day after Australian John Landy broke Roger Bannister's world record.

"He has the potential to go faster," said Walker, the only New Zealander at the function, which was attended by most of Australia's 38 sub-four-minute milers.

The world mile record of 3m 43.13s was set by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj in July 1999.

At yesterday's meeting, Kiwi Michael Aish ran 13m 32.85s for 5000m in finishing eighth in a race dominated by Kenyans.

Best NZ times

3m 49.08s John Walker 1982

3m 53.51s Nick Willis 2004

3m 53.62s Rod Dixon 1975

3m 54.1s Peter Snell 1964

3m 54.10s Martin Johns 1996

3m 54.40s Adrian Blincoe 2003