Kiwi runner wins New York street race
24 Sep 2008
New Zealand Olympic medalist Nick Willis has scored another career highlight by winning the Fifth Avenue Mile street race in New York.
The Wellington middle distance star pipped double world champion Bernard Lagat of the Unites States, by 0.1 seconds. The win came just over a month after Willis won bronze in the 1500m at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
The victory was a career highlight and one he would savour over a relaxing month playing golf and holidaying in Fiji, Willis said. He will then return to New Zealand to catch up with family and spread the word about middle distance running.
Close race makes win special
"After the Olympic Games this result has to be right up there," Willis said.
"Getting a win is special because they are few and far between, they have been so elusive for me. Also doing it in New York city is fantastic and to have such a close race with Lagat and have a win is pretty special."
Willis is the second Kiwi to win the Fifth Avenue Mile, 24 years after legendary miler, John Walker. His time of 3min 50.5s was a legacy of the hot pace set by San Diego-based runner Jon Rankin for the opening 800m, and then Lagat in the second half of the race.
Lacking motivation
Willis revealed that he had initially struggled for motivation after Beijing and it had taken a "kick up the butt" from his American wife, Sierra, to get him back on the track.
"Two days after the Games finished I got a little bit sick because I was that tired and so I wanted to go home and close it off and she said ‘no’ and I'm thankful she has.
"It gives me great momentum going into next year now and I know I am a champion. The Olympics wasn't a one-off fluke and now the expectation is to stay at the top of the world."
Middle distance star
At the Beijing games, Willis was the first New Zealand Olympic medalist on the track since John Walker's gold in the same race at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.
The 25-year-old Willis, who grew up in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington, is now US-based but returns home as often as he can.
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