Athletics: Willis wins US mile race

Olympian Nick Willis has won the United States road mile championship in Minneapolis this afternoon (NZT), running 3 minutes 56.2 seconds to edge a largely local field. Photo / Getty Images.

Olympian Nick Willis has won the United States road mile championship in Minneapolis this afternoon (NZT), running 3 minutes 56.2 seconds to edge a largely local field.

Willis won by 1.1 seconds ahead of Garrett Heath from Minnesota, while Macklin Chaffee of Colorado was a further 0.8 seconds back in third.

The Kiwi picked up US$5000 for the win and also pocketed a US$10,000 bonus for setting a new race record, eclipsing the previous mark by more than two seconds.

Willis will now set his sights on next weekend's second IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, where he will race in the 1500m. Joining him on the start line in China will be young Kenyan-based New Zealander Zane Robertson, while Stuart Farquhar will contest the javelin.