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{{Short description|Annual elite indoor mile race}} | {{Short description|Annual elite indoor mile race}} | ||
{{Infobox athletics race|bgcolour=#FE9A2E|image=2015 Millrose Games - Wanamaker Mile - Armory - O'Hare, Lagat (16551653025).jpg|caption=The 2015 Men's Wanamaker Mile. Leading above are [[Bernard Lagat]] & [[Chris O'Hare]].|date=February|location=[[Fort Washington Avenue Armory]]<br>[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]] {{flagicon|USA}}|type=Indoor [[track and field]]|distance=1 mile (since 1926)<br>1.5 miles (1916–1925)<br>2 miles (1915)|est=1915 (as Wanamaker 2-Mile)|organizer=[[Millrose Games]]|record={{nowrap|'''M:''' {{flagicon|USA}} [[Yared Nuguse]] 3:46.63 (2025)<br> | {{Infobox athletics race|bgcolour=#FE9A2E|image=2015 Millrose Games - Wanamaker Mile - Armory - O'Hare, Lagat (16551653025).jpg|caption=The 2015 Men's Wanamaker Mile. Leading above are [[Bernard Lagat]] & [[Chris O'Hare]].|date=February|location=[[Fort Washington Avenue Armory]]<br>[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]] {{flagicon|USA}}|type=Indoor [[track and field]]|distance=1 mile (since 1926)<br>1.5 miles (1916–1925)<br>2 miles (1915)|est=1915 (as Wanamaker 2-Mile)|organizer=[[Millrose Games]]|record={{nowrap|'''M:''' {{flagicon|USA}} [[Yared Nuguse]] 3:46.63 (2025)<br> | ||
'''W:''' {{flagicon|USA}} [[Elinor Purrier]] 4:16.41 (2024)}}|homepage=[https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile/ The Wanamaker Mile]}}The '''Wanamaker Mile''' is a prestigious indoor [[mile run|mile race]] for elite middle distance runners held annually at the [[Millrose Games]] in [[New York City]]. Alongside [[Oslo|Oslo's]] [[Dream Mile]] and [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene's]] [[Bowerman Mile]], the Wanamaker Mile is among the world's premier mile races. It is the signature and concluding event of the Millrose Games, and is named in honor of department store owner [[Rodman Wanamaker]].<ref | '''W:''' {{flagicon|USA}} [[Elinor Purrier]] 4:16.41 (2024)}}|homepage=[https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile/ The Wanamaker Mile]}}The '''Wanamaker Mile''' is a prestigious indoor [[mile run|mile race]] for elite middle distance runners held annually at the [[Millrose Games]] in [[New York City]]. Alongside [[Oslo|Oslo's]] [[Dream Mile]] and [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene's]] [[Bowerman Mile]], the Wanamaker Mile is among the world's premier mile races. It is the signature and concluding event of the Millrose Games, and is named in honor of department store owner [[Rodman Wanamaker]].<ref name=":0"/> | ||
The race is a tradition for [[Ireland|Irish]] runners: past Irish winners include [[Ronnie Delany]] (1956–1959), [[Eamonn Coghlan]] (1977, '79–'81, '83, '85 and '87), [[Marcus O'Sullivan]] (1986, '88–'90 and 1992), [[Niall Bruton]] (1994 and 1996), and [[Mark Carroll (athlete)|Mark Carroll]] (2000).<ref>{{cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile – Champions List |url=http://www.runningpast.com/wanamaker_mile.htm |accessdate=17 June 2015 |work=runningpast.com}}</ref> [[Ray Flynn (athlete)|Ray Flynn]], the [[List of Irish records in athletics|Irish record holder]] in the mile and the current meeting director of the Millrose Games, has also competed in the Wanamaker Mile.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cobley |first=John |title=Racing Past-The Wanamaker Mile: More than 50 years of History |url=https://www.racingpast.ca/bob-phillips.php?id=95 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Racing Past}}</ref> | The race is a tradition for [[Ireland|Irish]] runners: past Irish winners include [[Ronnie Delany]] (1956–1959), [[Eamonn Coghlan]] (1977, '79–'81, '83, '85 and '87), [[Marcus O'Sullivan]] (1986, '88–'90 and 1992), [[Niall Bruton]] (1994 and 1996), and [[Mark Carroll (athlete)|Mark Carroll]] (2000).<ref>{{cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile – Champions List |url=http://www.runningpast.com/wanamaker_mile.htm |accessdate=17 June 2015 |work=runningpast.com}}</ref> [[Ray Flynn (athlete)|Ray Flynn]], the [[List of Irish records in athletics|Irish record holder]] in the mile and the current meeting director of the Millrose Games, has also competed in the Wanamaker Mile.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cobley |first=John |title=Racing Past-The Wanamaker Mile: More than 50 years of History |url=https://www.racingpast.ca/bob-phillips.php?id=95 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Racing Past}}</ref> | ||
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== History == | == History == | ||
The Millrose Games were first held in a local armory in 1908, being organized by the employees of | The Millrose Games were first held in a local armory in 1908, being organized by the employees of [[Wanamaker's]] New York City department store. The employees formed the recreational Millrose Athletic Association. "Millrose" was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. When this local armory overflowed, the Millrose Games were moved to [[Madison Square Garden (1890)|Madison Square Garden]] in 1914.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
In 1915, the "Wanamaker 2 Mile Race" was held. From 1916 to 1925, the games' signature event was the 1.5 mile run. In 1925, the last edition of the "Wanamaker 1.5 Mile Race" was won by "[[Flying Finn]]" [[Paavo Nurmi]], the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=2024 Millrose Games Meet Brochure |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fda6dcd5ba6fb03ad7bd79e/t/662fd36c73148011433c1fe6/1714410349878/2024MillroseProgram_FINAL_forWeb.pdf}}</ref> | In 1915, the "Wanamaker 2 Mile Race" was held. From 1916 to 1925, the games' signature event was the 1.5 mile run. In 1925, the last edition of the "Wanamaker 1.5 Mile Race" was won by "[[Flying Finn]]" [[Paavo Nurmi]], the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=2024 Millrose Games Meet Brochure |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fda6dcd5ba6fb03ad7bd79e/t/662fd36c73148011433c1fe6/1714410349878/2024MillroseProgram_FINAL_forWeb.pdf}}</ref> In 1926, the race was shortened to one mile, and thus the Wanamaker Mile was born.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile |url=https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=116th Millrose Games |language=en-US}}</ref> The winner of the 1926 race was [[James Connolly (runner)|James J. Connolly]], who had represented the [[United States]] at the [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920]] and [[1924 Summer Olympics|1924 Olympics]].<ref name=":0"/> | ||
In 1926, the race was shortened to one mile, and thus the Wanamaker Mile was born.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile |url=https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=116th Millrose Games |language=en-US}}</ref> The winner of the 1926 race was [[James Connolly (runner)|James J. Connolly]], who had represented the [[United States]] at the [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920]] and [[1924 Summer Olympics|1924 Olympics]].<ref | |||
In the 1929 Wanamaker, American athlete [[Ray Conger]] became the first and only athlete to defeat and upset "[[Flying Finn]]" [[Paavo Nurmi]] in the mile. Although Conger was modest about his win, he would be known as "the man who beat Nurmi" for decades.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Day - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZqctAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3nEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5151,3938971&dq=nurmi&hl=en |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 24, 1942 |title=Ray Conger Named Coach; Noted Track Star to Direct the Teams at Penn State |website=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/12/24/archives/ray-conger-named-coach-noted-track-star-to-direct-the-teams-at-penn.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Raevuori |first=Antero |title=Paavo Nurmi: juoksijain kuningas |date=1997 |publisher=Söderström |isbn=978-951-0-21850-1 |edition=2. painos |series=Suuret suomalaiset |location=Porvoo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Risjord |first=Norman K. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200067 |title=Clark, George Rogers (19 November 1752–13 February 1818), revolutionary war general and "conqueror of the Northwest" |date=February 2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |series=American National Biography Online|doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200067 }}</ref> | In the 1929 Wanamaker, American athlete [[Ray Conger]] became the first and only athlete to defeat and upset "[[Flying Finn]]" [[Paavo Nurmi]] in the mile. Although Conger was modest about his win, he would be known as "the man who beat Nurmi" for decades.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Day - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZqctAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3nEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5151,3938971&dq=nurmi&hl=en |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 24, 1942 |title=Ray Conger Named Coach; Noted Track Star to Direct the Teams at Penn State |website=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/12/24/archives/ray-conger-named-coach-noted-track-star-to-direct-the-teams-at-penn.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Raevuori |first=Antero |title=Paavo Nurmi: juoksijain kuningas |date=1997 |publisher=Söderström |isbn=978-951-0-21850-1 |edition=2. painos |series=Suuret suomalaiset |location=Porvoo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Risjord |first=Norman K. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200067 |title=Clark, George Rogers (19 November 1752–13 February 1818), revolutionary war general and "conqueror of the Northwest" |date=February 2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |series=American National Biography Online|doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0200067 }}</ref> | ||
The first time the Wanamaker Mile was won in a [[Four-minute mile|sub-four minute time]] was by American athlete [[Tony Waldrop]] in 1974, in 3:59.7.<ref name=":0" /> | The first time the Wanamaker Mile was won in a [[Four-minute mile|sub-four minute time]] was by American athlete [[Tony Waldrop]] in 1974, in 3:59.7.<ref name=":0" /> The first women's race for the Wanamaker Mile was held in 1982, and was won by [[Mary Decker]].<ref name=":0"/> | ||
The first women's race for the Wanamaker Mile was held in 1982, and was won by [[Mary Decker]].<ref | |||
The Wanamaker Mile was once held every year at 10:00 p.m., a tradition started by the legendary sports announcer [[Ted Husing]]. Husing would broadcast the race live on [[Radio broadcasting|radio]] during the nightly news. In 2002, the mile was moved to 9 p.m. to accommodate television coverage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9805E0DE1539F93BA35752C0A9649C8B63|title=An Earlier Start Time For the Wanamaker Mile|date=January 8, 2002|first=Frank|last=Litsky|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2008-12-11}}</ref> | |||
In 2019, [[Yomif Kejelcha]] won | [[Madison Square Garden]], which possessed a 146-meter track,<ref name=":0"/> was the venue for the race from 1914 until 2012, when it was moved to [[Fort Washington Avenue Armory|The Armory]] in [[Upper Manhattan]],<ref>{{cite news |date=February 8, 2012 |title=From Good Times at the Garden to a New Era at the Armory |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/09/sports/millrose-games-move-into-new-era.html |accessdate=17 June 2015 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> a much faster 200-meter mondo track.<ref name=":0"/> Accompanying this venue change, the [[Millrose Games]] and therefore the Wanamaker Mile shifted from a Friday evening format to an all-day Saturday format.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Millrose Games to expand to 'all day' Saturday program, move to The Armory |url=https://ny.milesplit.com/articles/67357%20Armory%20Track%20and%20Field%20Foundation%20press%20release |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=MileSplit New York |language=en}}</ref> By 2018, the start time had been moved to late afternoon when it was nationally televised live on [[NBC]].<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Track & Field |series=[[NBC Sports]] |network=[[NBC]] |station=[[WGBA-TV|WGBA]] |time=17:55 }}</ref> | ||
[[File:2019 Millrose Games (46446189424).jpg|thumb|[[Yomif Kejelcha]] in the 2019 Wanamaker Mile.]]In the 2019 Wanamaker Mile, [[Yomif Kejelcha]] won in 3:48.46 to miss [[Hicham El Guerrouj|Hicham El Guerrouj's]] then-[[List of world records in athletics|world record]] of 3:48.45 by just one hundredth of a second. Kejelcha would later go on to break El Guerrouj's indoor mile world record by almost 1.5 seconds in [[Boston]], with a time of 3:47.01.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kejelcha breaks world indoor mile record with 3:47.01 in Boston {{!}} REPORT {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/world-indoor-mile-record-yomif-kejelcha-bosto |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=worldathletics.org}}</ref> | |||
In 2023, [[Yared Nuguse]] ran an American record time of 3:47.38 | In the 2023 Wanamaker Mile, [[Yared Nuguse]] ran an [[List of United States records in track and field|American record]] time of 3:47.38, missing Kejelcha's 3:47.01 mark by .37 seconds. In 2024, Nuguse defended his Wanamaker Mile title, in a time of 3:47.83, but did not run faster than he did in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metzler |first=Brian |date=2023-02-13 |title=The Famous Millrose Games Delivers Speed, Records, and the Wanamaker Mile |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/running/news/millrose-games-records-and-wanamaker-mile/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Results |url=https://results.nyrrmillrosegames.org/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=results.nyrrmillrosegames.org}}</ref> The 2024 edition of the Wanamaker Mile at the [[2024 Millrose Games|116th Millrose Games]] was held on [[Super Bowl LVIII|Super Bowl Sunday]] (February 11), at 2:42 pm (women) and 2:53 pm (men).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schedule |url=https://www.millrosegames.org/schedule |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=116th Millrose Games |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
In the 2025 Wanamaker Mile, Nuguse broke Kejelcha's world record of 3:47.01, clocking a new world record of 3:46.63. Finishing behind Nuguse was [[Hobbs Kessler]] in 3:46.90, also under the previous record. [[Cameron Myers]] set a [[List of world under-20 records in athletics|world under-20 record]] and Australian record of 3:47.48, while [[Azeddine Habz]] set a French record of 3:47.56, and [[Andrew Coscoran]] set an Irish record of 3:49.26.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Results |url=https://results.nyrrmillrosegames.org |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=results.nyrrmillrosegames.org}}</ref> Nuguse's world record lasted for 5 days, until [[Jakob Ingebrigtsen]] ran 3:45.14 in [[Liévin|Liévin, France]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=LetsRun.com |date=2025-02-14 |title=Full Race Video of Jakob Ingebrigtsen's 3:45.14 World Record in the Mile |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/02/full-race-video-of-jakob-ingebrigtsens-345-14-world-record-in-the-mile/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}}</ref> | |||
In the 2025 Wanamaker Mile, | |||
== Sponsors == | == Sponsors == | ||
The sponsors of the Wanamaker Mile have varied over the years, with the [[New York Road Runners|NYRR]] often supporting the race.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile |url=https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=116th Millrose Games |language=en-US}}</ref> | The sponsors of the Wanamaker Mile have varied over the years, with the [[New York Road Runners|NYRR]] often supporting the race.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wanamaker Mile |url=https://www.millrosegames.org/wanamaker-mile |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=116th Millrose Games |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, the Rudin family sponsored the event in the [[2023 Millrose Games|115th Millrose Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Kevin |date=2023-01-05 |title=The Rudin Family to Sponsor the Wanamaker Miles at the 115th Millrose Games |url=https://www.citybiz.co/article/364898/the-rudin-family-to-sponsor-the-wanamaker-miles-at-the-115th-millrose-games/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=citybiz |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
In 2023, the Rudin family sponsored the event in the [[2023 Millrose Games|115th Millrose Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Kevin |date=2023-01-05 |title=The Rudin Family to Sponsor the Wanamaker Miles at the 115th Millrose Games |url=https://www.citybiz.co/article/364898/the-rudin-family-to-sponsor-the-wanamaker-miles-at-the-115th-millrose-games/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=citybiz |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
== Records == | == Records == | ||
In 2010, [[Bernard Lagat]] surpassed [[Eamonn Coghlan|Eamonn Coghlan's]] record of seven Wanamaker Mile victories with his eighth victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/bernard-lagat-wins-eighth-career-wanamaker-mile-set-mark-millrose-games-garden-article-1.462684|title=Bernard Lagat wins eighth career Wanamaker Mile to set mark at Millrose Games at Garden|date=January 30, 2010|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=17 June 2015}}</ref> Prior to Coghlan, [[Glenn Cunningham (athlete)|Glenn Cunningham]] was among the first men to dominate the event, winning six out of seven Wanamaker Miles from 1933 to 1939.<ref | In 2010, [[Bernard Lagat]] surpassed [[Eamonn Coghlan|Eamonn Coghlan's]] record of seven Wanamaker Mile victories with his eighth victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/bernard-lagat-wins-eighth-career-wanamaker-mile-set-mark-millrose-games-garden-article-1.462684|title=Bernard Lagat wins eighth career Wanamaker Mile to set mark at Millrose Games at Garden|date=January 30, 2010|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=17 June 2015}}</ref> Prior to Coghlan, [[Glenn Cunningham (athlete)|Glenn Cunningham]] was among the first men to dominate the event, winning six out of seven Wanamaker Miles from 1933 to 1939.<ref name=":0"/> | ||
[[Mary Decker]], [[Doina Melinte]] and [[Regina Jacobs]] are all tied for most Wanamaker victories on the women's side, with three wins each.<ref | [[Mary Decker]], [[Doina Melinte]] and [[Regina Jacobs]] are all tied for most Wanamaker victories on the women's side, with three wins each.<ref name=":0"/> | ||
The current men's event record in the Wanamaker Mile is held by [[Americans|American]] athlete | The current men's event record in the Wanamaker Mile is held by [[Americans|American]] athlete Yared Nuguse, who ran a world record time of 3:46.63 in the 2025 Wanamaker Mile, improving Yomif Kejelcha's 2019 indoor mile world record of 3:47.01 by 0.38 seconds.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
The current women's event record in the Wanamaker Mile was set in 2024 by American athlete [[Elle Purrier St. Pierre|Elinor Purrier]], with a time of 4:16.41, also the American record. Purrier had eclipsed her previous 2020 American record time of 4:16.85.<ref | The current women's event record in the Wanamaker Mile was set in 2024 by American athlete [[Elle Purrier St. Pierre|Elinor Purrier]], with a time of 4:16.41, also the American record. Purrier had eclipsed her previous 2020 American record time of 4:16.85 during this race.<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Results |url=https://results.nyrrmillrosegames.org/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=results.nyrrmillrosegames.org}}</ref> | ||
== Annual champions == | == Annual champions == | ||
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[[Category:Mile races]] | [[Category:Mile races]] | ||
[[Category:Track and field competitions in the United States]] | [[Category:Track and field competitions in the United States]] | ||
[[Category:Men's athletics competitions]] | [[Category:Men's sport of athletics competitions]] | ||
[[Category:Track and field in New York City]] | [[Category:Track and field in New York City]] | ||
[[Category:Wanamaker family]] | [[Category:Wanamaker family]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:50, 24 December 2025
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Ensure AAA contrast ratioThe Wanamaker Mile is a prestigious indoor mile race for elite middle distance runners held annually at the Millrose Games in New York City. Alongside Oslo's Dream Mile and Eugene's Bowerman Mile, the Wanamaker Mile is among the world's premier mile races. It is the signature and concluding event of the Millrose Games, and is named in honor of department store owner Rodman Wanamaker.[1]
The race is a tradition for Irish runners: past Irish winners include Ronnie Delany (1956–1959), Eamonn Coghlan (1977, '79–'81, '83, '85 and '87), Marcus O'Sullivan (1986, '88–'90 and 1992), Niall Bruton (1994 and 1996), and Mark Carroll (2000).[2] Ray Flynn, the Irish record holder in the mile and the current meeting director of the Millrose Games, has also competed in the Wanamaker Mile.[3]
It was at the Millrose Games that Coghlan earned the nickname "Chairman of the Boards" (from the surface of the track being made of wooden boards).[4] O'Sullivan has run 11 sub-four-minute miles in the Wanamaker.[5]
The Wanamaker Mile has been won by over 40 different men, including Glenn Cunningham, Kip Keino, Tony Waldrop, Filbert Bayi, Steve Scott, Noureddine Morceli, Bernard Lagat, Yared Nuguse, Matthew Centrowitz Jr., Marcus O'Sullivan, Ron Delany, and Eamonn Coghlan.
History
The Millrose Games were first held in a local armory in 1908, being organized by the employees of Wanamaker's New York City department store. The employees formed the recreational Millrose Athletic Association. "Millrose" was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. When this local armory overflowed, the Millrose Games were moved to Madison Square Garden in 1914.[1]
In 1915, the "Wanamaker 2 Mile Race" was held. From 1916 to 1925, the games' signature event was the 1.5 mile run. In 1925, the last edition of the "Wanamaker 1.5 Mile Race" was won by "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland.[1][6] In 1926, the race was shortened to one mile, and thus the Wanamaker Mile was born.[1] The winner of the 1926 race was James J. Connolly, who had represented the United States at the 1920 and 1924 Olympics.[1]
In the 1929 Wanamaker, American athlete Ray Conger became the first and only athlete to defeat and upset "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi in the mile. Although Conger was modest about his win, he would be known as "the man who beat Nurmi" for decades.[7][8][9][10]
The first time the Wanamaker Mile was won in a sub-four minute time was by American athlete Tony Waldrop in 1974, in 3:59.7.[1] The first women's race for the Wanamaker Mile was held in 1982, and was won by Mary Decker.[1]
The Wanamaker Mile was once held every year at 10:00 p.m., a tradition started by the legendary sports announcer Ted Husing. Husing would broadcast the race live on radio during the nightly news. In 2002, the mile was moved to 9 p.m. to accommodate television coverage.[11]
Madison Square Garden, which possessed a 146-meter track,[1] was the venue for the race from 1914 until 2012, when it was moved to The Armory in Upper Manhattan,[12] a much faster 200-meter mondo track.[1] Accompanying this venue change, the Millrose Games and therefore the Wanamaker Mile shifted from a Friday evening format to an all-day Saturday format.[13] By 2018, the start time had been moved to late afternoon when it was nationally televised live on NBC.[14]
.jpg){kind=link}
In the 2019 Wanamaker Mile, Yomif Kejelcha won in 3:48.46 to miss Hicham El Guerrouj's then-world record of 3:48.45 by just one hundredth of a second. Kejelcha would later go on to break El Guerrouj's indoor mile world record by almost 1.5 seconds in Boston, with a time of 3:47.01.[15]
In the 2023 Wanamaker Mile, Yared Nuguse ran an American record time of 3:47.38, missing Kejelcha's 3:47.01 mark by .37 seconds. In 2024, Nuguse defended his Wanamaker Mile title, in a time of 3:47.83, but did not run faster than he did in 2023.[16][17] The 2024 edition of the Wanamaker Mile at the 116th Millrose Games was held on Super Bowl Sunday (February 11), at 2:42 pm (women) and 2:53 pm (men).[18]
In the 2025 Wanamaker Mile, Nuguse broke Kejelcha's world record of 3:47.01, clocking a new world record of 3:46.63. Finishing behind Nuguse was Hobbs Kessler in 3:46.90, also under the previous record. Cameron Myers set a world under-20 record and Australian record of 3:47.48, while Azeddine Habz set a French record of 3:47.56, and Andrew Coscoran set an Irish record of 3:49.26.[19][20] Nuguse's world record lasted for 5 days, until Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran 3:45.14 in Liévin, France.[21]
Sponsors
The sponsors of the Wanamaker Mile have varied over the years, with the NYRR often supporting the race.[22] In 2023, the Rudin family sponsored the event in the 115th Millrose Games.[23]
Records
In 2010, Bernard Lagat surpassed Eamonn Coghlan's record of seven Wanamaker Mile victories with his eighth victory.[24] Prior to Coghlan, Glenn Cunningham was among the first men to dominate the event, winning six out of seven Wanamaker Miles from 1933 to 1939.[1]
Mary Decker, Doina Melinte and Regina Jacobs are all tied for most Wanamaker victories on the women's side, with three wins each.[1]
The current men's event record in the Wanamaker Mile is held by American athlete Yared Nuguse, who ran a world record time of 3:46.63 in the 2025 Wanamaker Mile, improving Yomif Kejelcha's 2019 indoor mile world record of 3:47.01 by 0.38 seconds.[19]
The current women's event record in the Wanamaker Mile was set in 2024 by American athlete Elinor Purrier, with a time of 4:16.41, also the American record. Purrier had eclipsed her previous 2020 American record time of 4:16.85 during this race.[1][25]
Annual champions
Key:
- REDIRECT Template:Legend inlineMeet record (bolded)
- REDIRECT Template:Legend inline1500 meter race (women only)
Men
.svg){kind=link}
.svg){kind=link}
Women
See also
- Mile run world record progression
- Four-minute mile
- Dicksonpokalen
- Dream Mile
- Emsley Carr Mile
- Bowerman Mile
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
Categories:
- Pages with script errors
- Pages with broken file links
- Mile races
- Track and field competitions in the United States
- Men's sport of athletics competitions
- Track and field in New York City
- Wanamaker family
- 1926 establishments in New York City
- Recurring sporting events established in 1926
- Sports competitions in Manhattan
- Millrose Games