Famed Millrose Games Feature a Trio of Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The 113th Millrose Games held this Saturday at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York City will include a trio of athletes with ties to the Arkansas Razorback program.
Ryan Crouser, in his first season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Razorbacks, will compete in the shot put while Arkansas alum Omar McLeod races in the 60m hurdles. A future Razorback, Rhett Nelson, is entered in the high school pole vault.
A sold-out Armory Center combined with NBC’s nationally televised audience makes for an exciting experience at the famed meet, which is referred to as the world’s premier indoor track and field event. Overall, 31 Olympians will be competing in the Millrose Games this season.
Coverage of the elite portion of the meet will be available on NBC from 3 to 5 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, with extended coverage available through subscription service USATF.TV from 10:35 a.m. to 3 p.m. Live results from the Millrose Games is available at results.nyrrmillrosegames.org.
Competition in the 60m hurdles for 2016 Olympic 110m hurdle champion McLeod includes 2019 World Outdoor champion Grant Holloway and 2019 USATF 110m hurdle champion Daniel Roberts. Race time is 3:04 p.m.
All three hurdlers reached the elite level through SEC competition with Holloway at Florida and Roberts with Kentucky. They also occupy the top three positions on the all-time collegiate list in the 60m hurdles – Holloway (7.35 – 2019), Roberts (7.41 – 2019), and McLeod (7.45 – 2015).
Crouser, the 2016 Olympic champion, will open the indoor season against 2019 World champion Joe Kovacs with the shot put being featured in the infield of the Armory, starting at 3:39 p.m. The world’s top two throwers were separated by a quarter of an inch (75-2 to 75-1 ¾) at the recent World Championships held in Doha this past October.
With an indoor best of 73-3 ¼ (22.33), Crouser ranks fourth in the world all-time and third among Americans.
Nelson, who signed with Arkansas in the fall, will compete among a field of 10 high school vaulters, with the event starting at 11 a.m. A senior at Trinity Christian School, Nelson is the nation’s top high school pole vaulter and a five-time Arkansas state champion.
Last season, Nelson finished second in the pole vault at the Millrose Games while setting his career best with a clearance of 17-2 ¾.
Millrose Games History
The key event at the historic Millrose Games is the Wanamaker Mile and athletes with Arkansas ties claimed three consecutive titles from 1994 to 1996. Niall Bruton won in 1994 (3:58.71) and 1996 (4:00.58) while Graham Hood was victorious in 1995 (3:57.08).
Bruton competed in the Wanamaker Mile a total of five times, placing third twice and fourth once in addition to his pair of titles. Seneca Lassiter raced in the Wanamaker Mile four times, finishing fourth on three occasions, from 1998 to 2001.
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