Willis’ heat ‘comfy’

At 34, and with a couple of Olympic medals tucked away, Nick Willis knows all too well the formula for giving yourself the best shot at a major championships.

And the Kiwi veteran couldn’t have scripted it better as he progressed safely to the semifinals of the 1500 metres at the athletics world championships in London on Friday morning (NZ time).

It’s all about minimum effort expended for maximum reward, and safe passage, when it comes to making it through the rounds at these events.

Willis knows that from his dual Olympic 1500m successes (silver in Beijing in 2008 and bronze in Rio last year), and also from the not-sostellar results at his five previous world champs where his best finish has been sixth in the 2015 final in Beijing.

The Michigan-based Wellingtonian looked well in control with a typically well-paced effort in the second of three heats at the Olympic Stadium, coming home fifth in a relatively leisurely 3min 42.75sec to easily book his place in Saturday’s semis.

The heat was won by Brunei’s Sadik Mikhou in 3: 42.12, with Wil- lis looking to have plenty in hand as he eased out from seventh with 100m remaining to stride purposefully into the next round. The top six qualified automatically.

‘‘It felt really comfortable,’’ he told reporters in the mixed zone afterwards. ‘‘All that mattered was getting through using as little possible energy.

‘‘I tried to back off from my warm-up and not do too much to get excited as the biggest challenge is getting into the race and there’s less than 24 hours before turnaround to the semifinal.

‘‘I felt a little sluggish but not tired from working too hard.’’

Willis did well to avoid a potential mishap when Dutch athlete Richard Douma took a tumble just inside him in the home straight, just as the Kiwi was making his move.

‘‘There weren’t as many guys challenging in the home straight as I thought there might be, so that was fortunate.

‘‘I expected Robby Andrews and Ryan Gregson to come flying by but they didn’t and I was able to jog it in the last 30 metres without having to fight to the line,’’ Willis added.