"All 14 would be headliners at any other meet", World Record Opportunity At Stake In Millrose Men's 2 Mile

Story and photo by David Woods for DyeStat

NEW YORK – We might be asking the wrong question about this two-mile race. 

Maybe it should not be: “Will the world indoor record be broken?”

Instead: “How many will break it?”

There are 14 men in Sunday’s Millrose Games two-mile at The Armory.

“All 14 would be headliners at any other meet,” Grant Fisher said at Friday’s pre-meet news conference.

The TV window for the meet is 4-6 p.m. EST on NBC and Peacock.

At this meet two years ago, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr set a world record of 8 minutes, 00.67 seconds, nearly becoming the first ever to run sub-8 minutes indoors.

At Millrose last year, Fisher (7:22.91) and Cole Hocker (7:23.14) both ran under the world indoor record for 3,000 meters. By contrast, Kerr reached 3,000 in 7:30.14 in 2024. Respective two-mile equivalents for Fisher and Hocker were 7:55.5 and 7:55.7.

“Eight-flat two years ago felt really quick, Now, it’s almost an afterthought, especially how fast these guys ran last year,” Kerr said. “I think sub-8:00 is definitely in the cards, and it’s going to be a race to get it.”

There are four who have won outdoor world titles: Kerr (1,500), Hocker (5,000), New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish (steeplechase) and Britain’s Jake Wightman (1,500). Fisher set world indoor records last year at 3,000 and 5,000.

To that, add young Americans Ethan Strand, Parker Wolfe and Graham Blanks, Australia’s Ky Robinson and NCAA cross-country champion Habtom Samuel (Eritrea) of New Mexico.

Hocker acknowledged it will be a challenge to get to the front. Fisher almost certainly will push the pacemaker.

“As a longer-distance runner, I want this race to be quick. The more I turn it into sit-and-kick, the lower my odds get,” he said.

Unexpectedly, Hocker passed Fisher with three 200-meter laps left in last year’s 3,000. The Paris Olympics 1,500 gold medalist was overtaken in the final straightaway. Hocker said he thought he could dictate the pace.

“Stepping away from that race, I was extremely happy with how I ran it,” he said. “And this year I pretty much feel the exact same, if not more confident. Just based off of last year’s race, I was 1,500 champ."

“Now, coming off of the 5,000 world title, people hoping to take the kick out of legs is getting less and less possible as I continue to get stronger and stronger and kick in a sub-13 race, like I did in Tokyo.”

After September’s World Championships, Hocker said he took two weeks completely off. He recently relocated to Portland, Ore., but maintains a house in Blacksburg, Va. He continues to train under his former Oregon coach, Ben Thomas, the Virginia Tech coach.

Hocker opened last Friday by setting an American indoor record of 4:52.92 for 2,000 at Blacksburg.  He conceded he might need to maintain such a pace for six more laps to win the Millrose two-mile. His record lasted less than 24 hours, broken at Boston by Hobbs Kessler (4:48.79, world record) and Fisher (4:49.48).

The only men ever to break 8:00 for two miles outdoors are Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen (7:54.10 in 2023) and Kenya’s Daniel Komen (7:58.61 in 1996).

“You look at the field that comes together, you’re like, ‘What an opportunity to show the hard work I’ve put together', “ Kerr said. “The person who’s going to win the race this weekend is a dog. I’m looking for that title myself.”

Kerr endured a calf injury in the 1,500m final at worlds.

Hocker, despite two global golds, has never won at the Millrose Games or in the Diamond League. He was 0-9 before he won the 5,000 at last year’s USA Championships and is 3-0 in finals since then (he was disqualified in 1,500 semifinals at worlds).

Nuguse Not Counting On Mile World Record

The two-mile overrides what is usually the marquee race of the Millrose games, the NYRR Wanamaker Mile. Last year Yared Nuguse set a world indoor record of 3:46.63 -- a mark that lasted until Ingebrigtsen clocked 3:45.14 five days later.

Nuguse is going for a fourth straight mile victory. Bernard Lagat won six straight from 2005-10.

The other top contender is the 22-year-old Kessler, who appeared to be joking when he said he had a “bitter rivalry” with Nuguse as the two sat together to be interviewed.

“I will never be one to underestimate Hobbs,” Nuguse said. “He’s always been right there with me at Millrose.

“Maybe not a world record, honestly, if I’m being perfectly honest. But I still think it’s going to be a really quick one.”

Kessler said former Kiwi miler Nick Willis taught him to allow 5-10 minutes of celebration after a big success but allowed it was hard to come down after a world record. He blamed a caffeine gel.

“I was wired all night. It was brutal,” Kessler said. “My dad and I just watched ‘Gold Rush’ until 3 a.m. and then went to bed.”

Making the U.S. team at 1,500 for March’s World Indoor Championships will be especially difficult, with two to qualify from the trio of Hocker, Nuguse and Kessler. 

Kessler won a 1,500/3,000 double at the 2025 indoor nationals. Hocker is aiming at a similar feat Feb. 28-March 1 at Staten Island, N.Y., in a bid to match Ingebrigtsen’s 2025 world indoor double.

Hull Tries To Bounce Back In Women’s Mile

Elsewhere:

>> Jessica Hull faded to 10 seconds behind Elle St. Pierre in a 3,000 at Boston a week ago, a deflating outcome after carrying Australia to a gold medal in the world cross-country relay. The two meet again in the Millrose NYRR Wanamaker mile.

“I had an off day last weekend,” Hull said. “Everything in training, everything in my prep, suggests I’m ready to run fast and to really make the most of opportunities this indoor season.”

St. Pierre, less than nine months after childbirth, will not be seeking an unprecedented fourth mile win after a late scratch. She missed the news conference with what organizers said was a family matter. Nikki Hiltz, Sinclaire Johnson, Heather Maclean, Emily Mackay and Boston 1,500m winner Dorcus Iwoi of Kenya are also entered.

>> Cordell Tinch was second in the 60 hurdles a year ago but said that catapulted him toward a world title in the 110m hurdles.

“So that was the goal the entire year. Get back to how we got out of the blocks at Millrose, and we’ll be able to do what we did,” he said.

>> The Millrose Games sold out three weeks ago, the earliest sellout since the meet moved from Madison Square Garden to the Armory (capacity of 4,000-plus) in 2012, according to organizers.

Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.