Willis Takes Eighth in IAAF World Championships Final
8/14/2017 10:48:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
LONDON, England -- Former University of Michigan track and field standout Nick Willis once again cemented his standing as one of the best middle-distance runners, taking eighth place in Sunday's (Aug. 13) 1,500-meter final at the IAAF World Championships.
Willis, a two-time Olympic medalist and IAAF Indoor medalist from New Zealand who amassed two national titles at five All-America honors during his Michigan career (2003-05), crossed the line in 3:36.82 for his third career top-10 finish at the IAAF World Championships outdoors.
Kenya went 1-2 in the race behind Elijah Manangoi and Timothy Cheruiyot, who ran out front to times of 3:33.61 and 3:33.99. Willis was just over two seconds behind bronze medalist Filip Ingebrigtsen of Norway.
Willis defeated four-time global gold medalist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya and the lone American in the field, Johnny Gregorek.
He found himself just over a second off the pace set by Cheruiyot after 400 meters in 10th and just over two seconds back, still in 10th, at 800 meters as the Kenyans went through a half-mile at 3:55 mile pace.
After splitting 57.02 over the second quarter-mile as the pace ratcheted down, he clocked 56.25 between 800 meters and 1200 meters to position himself ninth with just 300 meters left to go.
Over the course of those final 300 meters, he was able to run down three-time IAAF world champion Kiprop, whose 55.57 split in the second quarter mile broke open the race but left him without the strength for a stretch run.
8th in the world after an injury plagued year! Honoured to represent NZ at my 6th World Championships. I have the best job in the world.
— Nick Willis (@nickwillis) August 13, 2017
