Wanamaker Mile

Wanamaker Mile
The 2015 Men's Wanamaker Mile. Leading above are Bernard Lagat & Chris O'Hare.
DateFebruary
LocationFort Washington Avenue Armory
New York City, New York, United States United States
Event typeIndoor Track and field
DistanceOne Mile (1,609.344 meters)
Established1926
OrganizerMillrose Games
Course recordsMen: United States Yared Nuguse 3:47.38 (2023)

Women: United States Elinor Purrier 4:16.41 (2024)
Official siteThe Wanamaker Mile

The 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.

  1. ^ "The Wanamaker Mile". 116th Millrose Games. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  2. ^ "The Wanamaker Mile – Champions List". runningpast.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. ^ Cobley, John. "Racing Past-The Wanamaker Mile: More than 50 years of History". Racing Past. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  4. ^ "Wanamaker Mile Still Goes the Distance". The Wall Street Journal. February 14, 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  5. ^ "ATHLETICS Caulfield pipped in New York". The Irish Independent. February 3, 2002. Retrieved 17 June 2015.