Willis withdraws from mile field

Olympic bronze 1500m runner Nick Willis announced yesterday that he
will be unable to join the mile field in next Friday’s International
Track Meet due to a hip injury.

Willis, who had stated his intention to target John Walker’s
longstanding NZ all comers record at the meet, will still be in
Christchurch for the track meet and will be undertaking all his
intended promotional appearances.

“This has been extremely heartbreaking for me as I have been wanting
desperately to race some world-class races in New Zealand since the
Olympic Games” said Willis yesterday. “The event organisers in
Christchurch have done such a fantastic job at putting up high quality
fields that the meet will be successful with me watching from the
sidelines. I’m excited I can still be involved talking to the kids
and signing autographs before and after the race.”

With Willis’s withdrawal from the mile, 2008 world’s fastest miler
Andrew Baddeley will start the race as favourite as he and Beijing
Olympian training partner Jeff Riseley attempt Walkers record.
The pair will face strong competition from the four other sub-four
minute milers in the field,including 3:53s milers Lachlan Chisholm
and double US indoor 1500m champion Rob Myers, Australian Beijing
Olympian Collis Birmingham and the fastest New Zealander in the
race Gareth Hyett.

Willis has also withdrawn from his only other NZ race the Milestone
Street Mile in Petone but will also attend that event for promotional
purposes.