ATHLETICS: The Trans-Tasman battle is on.
Australian running ace Craig Mottram has promised Kiwi Nick Willis he will "have his way with him" at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games after Willis won the Mayoral Mile battle between the two on Cooks Gardens in Wanganui on Saturday night.
Willis sat centimetres behind Mottram throughout
the race, followed him like a bad smell, and outgunned him over the final 50 metres to record the fastest mile yet (3min 52.75) on Cooks Gardens, with Mottram's 3min 53.15 setting him in second spot amongst the 48 recorded at the ground.
It was a personal best by 22-year-old Hutt man Willis, and he believes natural improvement will see him get close to breaking 3min 50sec before this season is out.
Mottram, dubbed "the fastest white man in the world" over a middle distance because of his successful battles with Kenyan and Ethiopian opposition, was not at all impressed by losing the race, although he admitted his own tactics had played into Willis' hands.
"No-one ever likes to come second. But you can't always win everything. I thought I ran solid, but it was a frustrating way to get beaten ? in the home straight. But look at the positive side ? it was good for New Zealand running.
"He's a super-fit and talented runner, he's very good. He's one of the top guys in the world and we always knew it was going to be hard."
Mottram suggested pre-race plans to out-think Willis fell apart immediately when the Kiwi sat right in behind him from the start instead of dropping a little further back.
"I knew I was in trouble from the gun because he went straight behind me ? and usually he sits a fair way back in the field. We had a plan, hoped I would be able to get a gap and him sit in the middle of the field, but he was right on it. "I suppose we half expected it because it was going to be a two-man race as soon as we both lined-up in it. I suppose I made a good race it by making it fast, but I still would have liked to won it."
Mottram said he believed if he came to Wanganui and ran 3.51 or 3.52 he would win.
"But he's obviously going very well. But??..I'll have my way with him five weeks from now."
