Millrose Professional Events Primer

By Jarrett Felix

I’m very excited for the upcoming Millrose Games at the Armory in New York City. For the second straight year, I’ll be attending the meet and hoping to see something as fantastic as last year’s meet. It was one of my favorite meet experiences I’ve had.

So in honor of the Millrose Games I’m going to try and break down all the professional events that are listed on the schedule at the entry link here: http://www.nyrrmillrosegames.org/fields-2017/. Let’s do this.

Men’s 60m

Olympic Long Jump Champion Jeff Henderson tests his speed in the 60 meter dash. He will be battling with elite talent Mike Rodgers, 200 meter stand out Ameer Webb and the young, newly turned professional, Noah Lyles. Lyles just ran a fantastic 300 his last time out, but I think the 60 is probably too far out of his peak range to make him a contender for gold here. My money would be on Rodgers, even at his slowly advancing age.

Men’s Invite Mile

The Invite Mile doesn’t have the same star power as the Wannamaker, but it’s a pretty darn good field. Remember that just last year, then high schooler Andrew Hunter set the indoor national record for the mile with a blazing 3:57 performance. This year another top high schooler, DJ Principe, will look to join the sub 4 club. Principe has already run 4:04 and 4 flat this indoors, but he looked a bit tired up in Boston when Josh Hoey of PA pulled off the upset. Let’s see if he comes back hungry or looks tired when he returns to the track in NYC.

Former NCAA champions Andy Bayer, Chad Noelle and Mac Fleet are all in this race along with current NCAA talents from the Ivy League Chris Hatler, Conor Lundy and Rob Napolitano. But my pick to take this race actually isn’t any of those guys. I think I like Julian Oakley for the win. If not him than I guess I would say Bayer. I’m interested to see how his fitness looks under his new training group. Rooting for Mikey Brannigan, Peter Callahan and Travis Mahoney to make noise.

Men’s 60m Hurdles

There’s a PA connection in this one with Jarret Eaton of Abington set to compete. He will have his hands full with former NCAA Champ Andrew Riley and reigning Olympic Champion Omar McLeod in the field. Aleec Harris is another national class hurdler toeing the line. I actually think Eaton has an outside shot at victory if McLeod is a little off his game, but it’s hard to bet against the Olympian who absolutely dominated the circuit a year ago (and I believe is the defending champion in this event).

Men’s HJ

Two words for you: Derek Drouin. The world’s best High Jumper is a must watch for field fans at the Millrose Games. I wish he was battling Kynard (who won last year), but regardless it should be fun to watch a world and Olympic champion in action.

Men’s 1k

This race should be a blast. First of all, you have the American Record Holder in David Torrence. He ran 2:16.76 back in Boston in 2014 to take that record. Then you have freshly minted 600 meter world record holder Cas Loxsom from Brooks. This event is probably stretch Cas’s range a bit (600 is definitely his sweet spot), but he will have plenty of teammates to help push him Brannon Kidder (collegiate 1k record holder) and Shaq Walker (formerly of BYU).

But the names I’d imagine most will focus on are Brandon McGorty and Donovan Brazier. McGorty is a high school superstar who will set his sights on the 2:22 high school record, currently held by Robby Andrews. Brazier turned pro this past summer after one fantastic year at A&M, where he set the US collegiate and junior records en route to the NCAA title. He actually has a nice distance background from his high school days and this event could be a really nice fit for him.

The sleeper here that I figure I should mention is Andrew Osagie of Great Britain. I haven’t seen much from him recently, but in 2012-2013 he made back to back world championship finals in the 800 and clocked a 1:43. If he is back and healthy, he has the talent to run with anybody in this field and maybe win the thing, but he also may not have the same pop he had 3-4 years ago.

Men’s 500m  

Brycen Spratling, formerly of Pittsburgh, is a master of the 500 meters. In his college days, he was a beast at the distance and then, in one of his first major professional races, Spratling set the world 500 record at the Millrose Games with a 60.06. That world record was broken last year as Abdalelah Haroun became the first man to dip under 60 seconds. I’d imagine Spratling will be gunning for revenge.

He’ll have to contend with 400 hurdler Breshawn Jackson (60.70 PR), Chris Geisting (ran 60.58 on an overzied track) and Lalonde Gordon.

Men’s Wannamker Mile

The signature even of the Millrose Games is lacking some of its usual firepower. No Nick Willis, no Matt Centrowitz, no Bernard Lagat. Considering that Lopez Lomong and Will Leer (other recent champs) are not among the entries either, we will have a new face of the event this year. Many suspect that face will be Clayton Murphy. Murphy won two NCAA championships last year before adding a US championship and an Olympic Bronze medal. He has all the tools to be a great championship racer with excellent top end speed and strong tactical prowess. He will also be looking for redemption after a lackluster start in the 3k (an off event for him).

The Nike Oregon Project’s Eric Jenkins is no stranger to the bright lights of the Millrose Games. After competing in the 3k at this meet the past two seasons, Jenkins will drop down to test his speed. Although Jenkins was a 5k/10k for most of the spring, he won the 5^th Avenue Mile in a blazing fast time against Olympic Gold Medalist and training partner Matt Centrowitz. So Jenkins may have more wheels than we think.

Drew Hunter, in his first year out of high school, will take his first stab at the Wannamaker Mile. As mentioned, he ran 3:57.8 at this meet last year and, after a great 3k in meet #1, he looks like he may be in even better shape than he was this time last year. Hunter battles with a couple other young stand outs in Henry Wynne and Izaic Yorks.

Olympic medalist Leo Manzano will toe the line, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing end to his 2016 campaign. Leo is a bit streaky, but when he is on his game, there’s nobody better. Colby Alexander, who had some memorable victories in 2016 including a fantastic win at the Tracktown Team Challenge. Robby Andrews is always dangerous, considering his signature closing wheels, but the mile has been a bit of an enigma for him. He had a huge PR at this meet last year, so maybe he is over those issues and ready to roll.

Sleeper would be Cory Leslie.

Men’s 2 Miles

This race should be the best of the day. Reigning Olympic Champion Matt Centrowitz is moving up for his usual mile/1500 focus to jump in the 2 mile. But standing in his way of a victory is Ryan Hill, the indoor 3k world medalist and defending champion from the 3k last year. Hill has terrific closing speed of his own and will give Centro all he can handle whether the race is tactical or not.

The guys who could crash this US party are Mo Ahmed and Andrew Butchart. Both of these guys were excellent in the Rio final over 5,000 meters and Butchart in particular is off to a very promising start to this indoor campaign. He just crushed a mile to show his speed is in good shape. An upset is very much in play for the Brit.

Women’s 3k

This field doesn’t have quite the same star power than others have, but it does include world class 3k steepler Stephanie Garcia and one of her American steeple rivals in Ashley Higginson. It also includes PA alum Angel Piccirillo and multi time NCAA champion Molly Seidel.

Women’s 60m

Tianna Bartloletta should be the heavy favorite in this one. Not only is she the Olympic champion in the long jump, but she also is an Olympic 100 meter finalist. She ran well under 11 seconds for 100 meters. Without her US rivals Bowie and Gardner in the field, she may be able to run away with this one.

Women’s 800m 

Ajee Wilson has been terrific at 600 meters to start 2017. She just recently ran 1:24 for that distance, making her the 4^th fastest woman ever at that distance inside. That came just two weeks after she ran the 7^th fastest 600 ever. So now she jumps up to her favorite event, looking to drop a sub 2 minute 800.

Also in this race is high schooler Sammy Watson who is fresh off her own fast 600m: a 1:27 national high school record. Watson has run 2:03.94 for 800, the 3^rd fastest by a female high schooler. Ironically, she is one spot ahead of Ajee Wilson on that list.

Women’s 300m

Olympic 400 meter champion Shaunae Miller were traverse to the USA for the 300 meters at Millrose. She takes on a stashed field that includes 400 hurdle medalist Ashley Spencer and US veteran at 400 Natasha Hastings. Also in the field is high schooler Sydney McLaughlin who, after running in the Olympics this past summer, just contributed a 400 leg to a world record DMR. McLaughlin is already #2 ever for high schoolers at this distance, but will chase the 36.96 national record currently belonging to Francena McCorory. Miller will be looking to better her 36.10 personal best which ranks 6^th all-time.

Women’s Pole Vault

In one of the most star studded events of the day US Olympic Medalist Sandi Morris will go after the Olympic Champion Katerina Stefanidi in a battle for the ages. Morris is the 3^rd best indoor performer ever, having jumped 4.95 in March of last year. She joined the 5 meter club last outdoors when she set the outdoor American record. Stefanidi has jumped 4.90 for Greece, but she was clutch when it counted last summer.

Women’s 60m Hurdles

Despite the US Women’s amazing depth in the 100 hurdles (we swept the medals last summer), we don’t have an Olympic medalists in this one. We do, however, have the very talented US hurdler Sharika Nelvis and PA high school alumn Leah Nugent from Abington High School.

Women’s Wannamaker 

Shannon Rowbury has her fair share of US records. But the multi time world medalist is still gunning for the indoor US record of 4:20.5. She ran 4:22 in 2015 and also ran 4:24 twice. She won the Wannamker last year as well, but she faded a bit from the fast early pace. This year, however, she has a secret weapon to help her chase the standard. New training partner Sifan Hassan, who has run 3:56.05 for 1500 meters, is ready to help attack this field and make the race face. She’s never been afraid of a hard early pace (chased hard after Dibaba during the 1500 world record) and also has great closing speed for a kick.

Outside of these big two, there’s plenty of other talented names. Most notably, Olympic 800 meter finalist Kate Grace (who has been crushing the longer stuff this year), collegiate stand out Kaela Edwards from OK State and recent world record setter Brenda Martinez. Also in the mix will be Amanda Eccleston, a US finalist at 1500 and near Olympian, Alexa Efraimson, the US Junior record holder and recent grad Leah O’Connor, an excellent steeplechaser who is #2 in NCAA history for the mile.

Women’s 500m 

Courtney Okolo was a dynamite 400 meter runner at Texas. She ran four of the fastest ten NCAA quarter miles ever last outdoor season including a blistering 49.71. She faded down the stretch after a long track season and was a surprising miss from the Olympic open 400. But she has used that as motivation heading into the outdoor season, running a super quick 1:25 for 600 at some serious over distance (#6 ever). Okolo could realistically pursue the 500 American record of 1:08.70 or the 1:08.40 non-Russian record.

To help her, we have Alysia Montano, the 600 meter indoor American record holder who has made multiple global finals at 800, and the reigning 400 hurdle Olympic champion in Dalilah Muhammad. Muhammad ran 52 seconds for the 400 hurdles, within striking distance of the world record. The 400 hurdle skill set is often associated with the 500 meter skill set as that extra strength can help a runner like Dalilah power through the final stretch. She’s got record potential in her own right.