The Wanamaker Mile is always the fitting finale of the Millrose Games, the country’s premier indoor track meet, and this year’s showdown between Matthew Centrowitz, the reigning champion, and Nick Willis of New Zealand did not disappoint.
Centrowitz, 26, of Eugene, Ore., and Willis, 32, ran the two fastest indoor miles in the world last year in the Wanamaker. Stride for stride during that race, Centrowitz edged out Willis at the line, finishing barely a tenth of a second ahead in 3 minutes 51.35 seconds.
This year, at the 109th Millrose on Saturday, both runners stayed in the middle of the pack for most of the race at the New Balance Track and Field Center in Upper Manhattan, letting the rabbit do most of the work.