Athletics: Willis out of mile races

Olympics 1500m bronze medallist Nick Willis has pulled out of next Friday's mile race in Christchurch with a hip injury.

Willis said the injury would also prevent him from running in next Tuesday's Petone street mile in Lower Hutt.

Willis was targeting John Walker's long-standing New Zealand allcomers mile record at Christchurch.

"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," Willis said.

However, he will attend both meets to help promote the events.