Saruni headlines Millrose Games men 800m field

Olympian Michael Saruni headlines a strong 800m field at the Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting set for 29 January in Ney York, USA..

The America-based Saruni who won the same race in 2019 holds an African indoor record of 1:43.98 that is the fastest indoor 800m clocking ever achieved in the US and made Saruni the second-fastest indoor performer at that time.

Last year, the 27-year old won the Kenyan Olympics trials to feature at the Games for the first time where he finished second to Amos Nigel in the heats but crashed out in the semis after finishing sixth in his heat. Teammates Emmanuel Korir and Ferguson Rotich won gold and silver respectively. 

Saruni is joining another Kenyan Edward Cheserek at the Games who will compete in the 3000m. The USA-based athlete who placed second in the 2019 Wanamaker Mile, will face stiff competition from among others, five Olympians and seven individual NCAA winners who will race over 3000m at the Games.

“It will be really great to come back to The Armory and the Millrose Games where I had such a great winning race,” said Saruni, who formerly held the world best for the indoor 600m.

Meanwhile, Bryce Hoppel returns to the Millrose Games after placing second in the 800m in 2020. Hoppel finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships and ranks seventh on the world indoor all-time list for 800m with a best of 1:44.37. 

Cheserek to battle five Olympians in 3000m at Millrose Games

NCAA champion Isaiah Jewett, who joined Hoppel on the US Olympic team last year, is also set to compete.

Four other Olympians will take part in this race, including Charlie Hunter of Australia, Mexican record-holder Jesus Lopez of Mexico, Spanish record-holder Saul Ordonez and Irish record-holder Mark English. 

Isaiah Harris, who represented the USA at the 2017 World Championships, is also in the field.

Donavan Brazier, the world champion over 800m, has opted against contesting his specialist distance at the Millrose Games and will instead test his speed in the 400m. 

The 24-year-old, who holds the North American 800m records indoors (1:44.21) and outdoors (1:42.34), has an indoor 400m PB of 46.91.

“I am really excited about running the 400m at Millrose,” said Brazier, whose 2021 season was hampered by injury. “I look forward to the challenge, and it is also part of our plan for continued improvement in the 800m.”

Brazier will face a stiff challenge in the form of Jamaica’s Olympic finalist Christopher Taylor, 2015 world 4x400m champion Vernon Norwood and triple Paralympic medallist Hunter Woodhall.

Additional reporting by World Athletics