Nick Willis

Nick Willis

Personal information
Birth name	Nicholas Ian Willis
Nationality	New Zealand
Born	(1983-04-25) 25 April 1983 Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Sport
Sport	1500m
Coached by	Ron Warhurst
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	1500 m: 3:30:35 (2012, NR)
Medal record Competitor for  New Zealand Men's athletics Olympic Games Silver 2008 Beijing 1500 metres Commonwealth Games Gold 2006 Melbourne 1500 metres Bronze 2010 Delhi 1500 metres

Nicholas Ian Willis MNZM (born 25 April 1983) is a New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the silver medal in the 1500m at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a time of 3:34.16 minutes.^[1] He was a gold medallist in the 1500 metres at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and a bronze medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He was the first athlete from New Zealand to win the 1500 metres at the Commonwealth Games (although Peter Snell and Jack Lovelock have both won gold in the Mile at the Empire and Commonwealth Games).

Personal life

Willis was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, where he grew up with his brother and sister. He attended Hutt Valley High School and after high school he got an athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan in the United States.^[2] His brother, Steve Willis, is also an athlete, and they are the only brothers in the history of New Zealand to have both broken 4:00 minutes for the mile.^[3]

For a New Zealand high school student over the mile, Willis became the fastest ever on 20 January 2001, with a time of 4 minutes 1.33 seconds.^[4]

In May 2007, Willis became engaged to his girlfriend, Sierra Boucher. They married five months later on 30 September 2007 and currently reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Career

In 2005, at the Golden League series in Paris, France, Willis broke John Walker's 32-year-old national record for the 1500m. Willis then won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which he completed in 3:38.49 minutes, and two first placings at the New Zealand Track & Field Championships in 2006, with a time of 3:50.77 minutes, and 2008, which he ran in 3:44.46 minutes. His IAAF world ranking was 16 in May 2007.

2008: Olympic silver medallist

Willis won the 1500m silver medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics. He originally placed third but the eventual disqualification of Rashid Ramzi due to a positive drug test saw Willis's bronze medal become a silver one, which he received in 2011.

In the first 1500m heat Willis placed 2nd in a time of 3:36.01. After running at the back of the field for the first few laps he took the lead on the final lap eventually finishing ahead of Mehdi Baala.^[5] Willis ran in the second 1500m semi-final where the pace was so slow that during the race he uncharacteristically told the other competitors to pick up the pace so more of them would have a chance to qualify. With 250m to go Willis was almost boxed in and had to fight his way around Arturo Casado. Willis finished 5th in the semi-final in a time of 3:37.54, making him the 9th fastest qualifier for the 12 man final.^[6]

In the final Willis stayed at the back of the pack of runners for most of the race. Working his way through the field, he found himself in 6th place with 200m to go. Along the home straight he passed three runners, holding off Baala on the line claiming the bronze medal in 3:34.16.^[7] With the 18 November 2009 disqualification of would-be winner Rashid Ramzi due to a positive drug test, that medal status was upgraded to a silver medal.^[8]

In conclusion to his 2008 season, Willis won the Fifth Avenue Mile race in New York City, beating out twice-world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States by 0.1 seconds. Willis was the first New Zealander to win the race since John Walker in 1984.^[9]

2010: Surgery and comeback

During 2010, Willis underwent knee surgery.^[10] He came fifth in the Fifth Avenue Mile race and as defending champion in the 1500m his form leading into the 2010 Commonwealth Games was not his best. He managed to win the bronze medal in the event and said afterwards he was looking forward to training injury-free.

2011

Willis didn't receive his 2008 Olympic silver medal until 26 February 2011. The presentation was originally scheduled for an International Track Meet in Christchurch, but the earthquake on the 22nd saw that event cancelled. Instead, Willis received his medal at a fundraising track meet organised in response to the earthquake and held at Newtown Park in Wellington. It was presented by International Olympic Committee member, and 1976 gold medallist, Barry Maister. It was the first Olympic medal ceremony held in New Zealand.^[11] At the same meet Willis ran a sub-four minute mile.^[12]

2012

In July 2012 Willis set the Oceania 1500m record with a run of 3:30.35 at the Monaco Diamond League Herculis meeting.^[13] He placed third in that race, with his time also marking an improvement of his own New Zealand record.

London Olympics

On 27 July he was officially named the Olympic flag bearer for New Zealand at London 2012.^[14]

Willis was the oldest runner to make the final of the 1500m, in which he placed 9th – a result he described as "heart-breaking" and "a bit embarrassing". Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi won in 3:34.08s, with Willis clocking 3:36.94.^[15]

Personal bests

References

External links

• Nick Willis profile at IAAF
• Official website of Nick Willis
• Nick Willis 2012 Olympic Profile

Olympic Games
Preceded by Mahe Drysdale	Flagbearer for  New Zealand London 2012	Succeeded by Incumbent