Athletics: Willis fourth in Athens

Top New Zealand track runner Nick Willis claimed fourth place in the men's 1500m at the Athens Super Grand Prix meeting today (NZT).

The Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist clocked three minutes 32.93 seconds, with Kenyan Daniel Komen winning in 3min 30.27sec.

It was Willis' best run of the season and just shy of his personal best of 3min 32.38sec.

Willis was propelled into the top five fastest 1500m runners of the year - his time the fifth-equal best of 2006.

Athens produced a host of quick times, with Komen clocking the world's fastest 1500m of 2006.

Ukraine's Ivan Hesko and Algerian Tarek Boukensa, recorded the second- and third-fastest times of 2006 respectively, with 3min 31.78sec and 3min 31.85sec.

Hicham El Geurrouj from Morroco holds the world 1500m record in 3min 26.00sec.

- REUTERS