Athletics: Willis backs push to eliminate drug cheats

Nick Willis at Beijing after the 1500 metres. Photo / Kenny Rodger

New Zealand runner Nick Willis is, for now, more elated by the push to eliminate drug cheats than by his potential bumping up to an Olympics silver medal.

Willis finished third in the 1500m at the Beijing Olympics but a re-testing trawl of blood samples from the Games saw the winner, Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi, netted for the banned blood booster, CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator).

If Ramzi's B sample, to be tested on June 8 in France, returns another positive result, Kenya's silver medallist, Asbel Kipruto Kiprop, stands to be declared the winner with Willis promoted to silver. France's Mehdi Baala, who was fourth, would then be awarded the bronze.

The International Olympics Committee re-analysed a total of 948 samples from Beijing after new lab tests for CERA and insulin became available following the Olympics.

Samples from six athletes, including Ramzi, returned positive results for CERA.

"The biggest emotion for me, even prior to the results coming out, was just hearing that they were running a re-test," Willis told NZPA from his Ann Arbor, Michigan, home in the United States this morning.

"I am really excited about that because it will instil a great deal of fear into potential drug users in the future.

"I finished third at the Olympic Games, and that was a really joyous moment for me, but there's four more years to London and my goal is to win the gold there.

"The greater credibility that the drug testers have is going to mean that when we stand at that start line in 2012, it's going to be a clean affair and I will have a greater chance of winning that elusive gold medal so that's the way I am looking at that right now anyway."

Until the B sample result on Ramzi was revealed, there was no use speculating on what-ifs.

"You have to give the guy the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty. And since I am still competing, that's the way it stands right now."

Willis, who is targeting golds in the 800m and 1500m at next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, said his immediate priority was to be able to run again after undergoing surgery three weeks ago on his hip.

He had been diagnosed with a labral tear by orthopaedic surgeon Marc Phillipon of the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado, who said Willis should jump into surgery straightaway.

"He said I would be ready to go six weeks later."

That was three weeks ago with the first fortnight after surgery spent on crutches.

" I am walking around now. It's been a challenging time but it is also an opportunity to work on other potential kinks in my armoury and my body so that I can become a more efficient and more balanced athlete when all is said and done."

He was spending four to five hours daily working on his upper body and ankle joints all aimed at improving his strength and flexibility to ensure his stride "would tick over efficiently".

Willis said he would not run the 1500m at the world championships in Berlin in August. Instead, he's aiming at the 800m.

"The 1500m at the world championships at this stage looks a far-fetched option because I won't have the necessary endurance training under me as I come back from this injury.

"My goal is to try and get on the start line for the 800m in Berlin.

" I would love to defend my 1500m Commonwealth Games title next year and go for the 800m so running the 800m at the worlds will help hone the skills needed for the shorter distance and achieve an elusive double.

" I am just desperate to go out running again. The snow has melted on the trails in Michigan and it's looking very tempting.

"I am just counting the days to when I can put on the running shoes again."

- NZPA