Athletics: Willis second in New York

Nick Willis. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis ran a season's best time to finish second over 1500 metres at an IAAF Diamond League meeting in New York this morning (NZT).

Willis record a time of three minutes 36.46 seconds to finish .31 seconds behind the winner American David Torrence.

The Lower Hutt 28-year-old's time was under the B standard for the world championships of 3min 38secs.

Kimberley Smith, competing in her first race since a calf injury forced her out of the Boston Marathon in April, finished sixth at the Mini 10 kilometre through New York's Central Park today.

The 29-year-old Smith covered the distance in 32min 32secs, almost a minute behind the winner, Kenya's Linet Masai who ran 31min 40secs.

"It's tough out there - it was really painful racing in Central Park today," said Smith who led for most of the race in Boston before dropping out.

"It's my first race after Boston and my legs are feeling really good, but I'm apprehensive to sprint."

Elsewhere, former Wanganui athlete Lucy Van Dalen, running for Stony Brook University, was second in the 1500m final at a NCAA Division 1 meeting in Des Moines, Iowa after running 4min 15.33secs.

- NZPA