Nick Willis
FAST 1500m, AUT Millennium Stadium North Shore – 28 February 2013
Beijing Olympic Games 1500m silver medallist Nick Willis ran a quick 1500 metres in Auckland on Thursday evening. Preparing for an attempt to run a qualifying time of 3m 35.00s at the Sydney Track Classic on 9 March, he came up with an impressive 3m 36.51s, setting him up nicely for Saturday’s race.
Thomas Monnery and UK’s Sam Petty provided the early pace which had Willis through the 800m in 1m 55s.
Willis was on target to this point but was unable to sustain it over the second half.
“I wasn’t able to go that extra gear which in some of those Grand Prix races I’m able to do in Europe, so it will come. This is the best I’ve run in the early season for a long time,” said Willis.
Willis said it sets him up beautifully for the race in Sydney.
“I’m only a second off doing it on my own, so get me to Sydney. I haven’t won a race in Australia since the Commonwealth Games in 06, so it’d be nice to finally win one over the ditch seven years after that.”
Willis returns to the States with his wife Sierra to prepare for the birth of their first baby expected in June.
Malcolm Hicks was second in 3m 44.95s with Hamish Carson third in 3m 45.11s, followed by Hugo Beamish 3m 45.49s, Aaron Pulford 3m 48.13s, Alex Parlane 3m 48.30s,
Ben Moynihan 3m 48.72s, Matt Harris 3m 49.47s, Matt Lambert 3m 50.16s, Jono Jackson 3m 51.64s, Brent Henley 3m 52.23s and Michael Vercoe-Curtis 3m 53.33s.
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