Willis sparkles, books London place
Nick Willis has rekindled New Zealand’s reputation as a middle-distance running nursery, but a world track and field championship medal still eludes him.
After running a season’s best time of 3m 34.74s at the Diamond League meet in Monaco yesterday, he gets another chance to secure that missing podium spot in London next month.
The double Olympic medallist placed 10th but went under the world championships A standard qualification mark of 3m 36s.
The result ensures Willis will be added to the nine-strong New Zealand team contesting the pinnacle of the athletics season.
The cut-off for selection is today, meaning the race was Willis’ last chance to guarantee a spot.
Monaco has been a fond venue for Willis. He has bettered his New Zealand 1500m record four times at Stade Louis II, most recently in 2015 with a time of 3m 29.66s to finish fifth.
“It wasn’t pretty by any stretch,” Willis told Newstalk ZB yesterday of his latest feat. “But the magic of the Monaco track paid off again, and it was one of the more satisfying 10th places I’ve had.
“[Monaco’s] been a good spot for me and I relied a lot on it, even after things haven’t been going as I hoped, that I could pull one out of the bag.”
With the world championship 1500m heats scheduled for August 10, Willis wasn’t worried about lowering his time as much as building the strength in his legs to handle three rounds of racing.
Hampered by shin splints this year, the 34-year-old began his European campaign late, scheduling just three races before the qualifying deadline.
“Perhaps I need to take a risk in the next couple of weeks and put in some Lydiardesque training. It’s a little close to the championships, but that’s the type of work I’m lacking.
“I could then do a perfect taper in the final week. We need to make some quick decisions.”
Willis said he had been training the whole year but the injury had been disruptive.
“I felt like I had wasted four months. I’ve got no confidence because I haven’t got any [significant] training behind me. It’s going to be a shock if I get to the podium, but because I’ve done it before, there’s always that sneaky hope.”
Meanwhile, shot putter Tom Walsh unleashed his biggest effort of the year in Athens, Georgia, close to his American training base of the past three months.
Walsh recorded 22.04m as he also seeks to become the first New Zealand male to win a world track and field championship title outdoors. The 25-year-old is the world indoor champion. The put was his best since his national record of 22.21m set in Croatia last year.
“I’m throwing better than I ever have at this time of year and I’m in the best shape I’ve been,” he said.