Running a sub-4-minute mile – every year for 19 years!

New Zealander, Nick Willis, four-time Olympian, a two-time Olympic medallist and Commonwealth gold medallist set a new record by running a sub-4-minute mile every year, for 19 years. The Kiwi broke the record held by fellow countryman John Walker, who ran 18 sub-4-minute miles. 

Willis etched his name into the record books on the 19 January this year when he ran a 3:58.63 mile at the Orange Winter Classic meet in Clermont, Florida, at the tender age of 37 years. The Kiwi, a middle-distance 1500 metres specialist, equalled the previous record at New York’s, Wanamaker Men Mile in February 2020, a record held by the legendary Kiwi, Sir John Walker, who accomplished the feat in every year between 1973 and 1990

However, the pandemic and cancellation of races across the globe put a major obstacle in the way of Willis to set the record. Realizing age was not on his side he wanted to race in the first half of this year while he was still fit and not another year older. So, upon doing some research found Orange Winter Classic #1 in Orlando, Florida was going ahead on January 19.

SUB 15 MINUTE 5K!

The first race of the season is normally when you are slightly rusty but Willis was on a mission and during the final 200 metres of the race ran hard to chase down eventual winner Mason Ferlic, hanging on for second and a 3:58.63—good enough to grab the record from Walker. His splits were an astonishing 1:01.64, 59.02, 59.30, and 58.68 on his way to breaking Walker’s record.

Willis first broke the 4-minute mark as a teenager in 2003, and his latest time indicates his preparations for the Tokyo Olympics are on track. Willis, is clearly is good shape as he attempts to add another Olympic medal to his collection, having won a silver in 2008 in Beijing and a bronze in Rio in 2016 and proudly carried New Zealand’s flag at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony.

Whilst most of us can only dream of running a sub-4-minute mile, we believe there are still many more miles left in Nick Willis to stretch this record even further.

Below is the impressive list of Nick Willis successive years of sub-4-minute miles plus his 1500 metre medal list and PB’s:

1. Notre Dame, IN Meyo Invitational 07 Feb 2003 – 3.58.15
2. Eugene, OR Bowerman Mile 19 Jun 2004 – 3:53.51
3. Oslo Bislett Games 29 Jul 2005 – 3:53.43
4. Wanganui 11 Feb 2006 – 3:52.75
5. New York, NY Reebok Grand Prix 02 Jun 2007 – 3:55.09
6. Eugene, OR Bowerman Mile 08 Jun 2008 – 3:50.66
7. Boston, MA 07-Feb-2009 – 3:53.54
8. Boston, MA Reebok Indoor Games 06 Feb 2010 – 3:55.26i
9. Eugene, OR Bowerman Mile 04 Jun 2011 – 3:51.95
10. Eugene, OR Bowerman Mile 02 Jun 2012 – 3:51.77
11. Des Moines, IA Drake Relays 27 Apr 2013 – 3:55.70
12. Oslo Bislett Games 11 Jun 2014 – 3:49.83
13. New York, NY Wanamaker Mile 14 Feb 2015 – 3:51.46
14. New York, NY Wanamaker Mile 20 Feb 2016 – 3:51.06i
15. Huntington, NY Long Island Mile 06 Sep 2017 – 3:56.41
16. Birmingham Emsley Carr Mile 18 Aug 2018 – 3:56.77
17. London Emsley Carr Mile 21 Jul 2019 – 3:55.45
18. New York, NY Wanamaker Mile 08 Feb 2020 – 3:56.72i
19. Clermont, FL Orange Winter Classic #1 19 Jan 2021 – 3:58.63

1500m Medals

• 2006  Commonwealth Games, Melbourne: Gold
• 2006 World Cup, Athens: Silver
• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing: Silver
• 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi: Bronze
• 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow: Bronze
• 2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland: Bronze
• 2016 Olympic Games, Rio: Bronze

Personal Best Times:

• 800 metres: 1:45.54
• 1500 metres: 3:29.66 (Oceanian record)
• Mile : 3:49.83
• 3000 metres: 7:36.91
• 5000 metres: 13:20.33