Steeplechase standouts Boreman, Gear part of women’s elite field for event’s 10th edition at Meredith College in Raleigh; Adams, Holt and Kemboi top contenders in men’s elite race

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 10th edition of the Sir Walter Miler is scheduled for Friday at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., with the meet having a tough act to follow after the memorable performances in both the elite women’s and men’s mile races last year.

The women’s elite mile is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. EDT, with the men’s elite competition expected to start at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Both races, along with the Coaches Clash and Run Club 4x400-meter relay, will be broadcast live on RunnerSpace+PLUS.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST AUGUST 4 OF SIR WALTER MILER ON RUNNERSPACE+PLUS 

Yared Nuguse of On Running and Nikki Hiltz of Lululemon not secured victories last year, but also produced the fastest mile performances on North Carolina soil, each earning a $5,000 bonus on top of their winner’s prize.

Nuguse and Hiltz both captured 1,500-meter titles July 8 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., an indication of the potential success next year for Friday’s elite winners.

Nuguse clocked 3:53.34, leading 12 male athletes to sub-4 efforts, one shy of the meet record of 13 competitors under 4 minutes in 2018.

Hiltz ran 4:21.89, one of three athletes to achieve a sub-4:30 performance. A meet record nine sub-4:30 women’s efforts highlighted the 2021 event.

There have been 69 sub-4 marks achieved, as well as 28 sub-4:30 races in meet history.

Looking to add to that total in the women’s elite race will be HOKA Northern Arizona Elite teammates Krissy Gear, Abby Nichols and Katie Wasserman.

Gear, the reigning U.S. champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, has run 4:26.52 in the mile.

Nichols has clocked 4:26.08 in the mile, with Wasserman – who ran a 1,500 personal-best 4:08.40 on July 14 at the Harry Jerome Track Classic in Langley, British Columbia, Canada – entering the race with a top mile performance of 4:34.32.

Madie Boreman, who achieved the American record July 29 in the 2,000-meter steeplechase by running 6:09.81 in Birmingham, England, is representing Oiselle in the race looking to improve on her mile personal-best 4:33.59.

Micaela DeGenero, the 2022 NCAA Division 1 indoor mile champion at Colorado, is competing for PUMA and boasts a mile personal-best 4:33.92.

Taylor Werner, representing PUMA Elite, has clocked 4:32.93 in a track mile. She finished third July 22 in The Guardian Mile by running 4:31.84 on the roads in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Jenn Randall, representing Tracksmith, is seeking her first sub-4:30 performance, entering the event with a personal-best 4:30.53.

Lauren Berman, a former Virginia Tech standout representing Tracksmith, has a 4:31.34 top mile performance.

Logan Jolly, competing for ASICS, has run 4:33.94 in the mile.

Gina McNamara of Georgetown Running Club, also representing New Balance and Malta, has clocked 4:39.67 in the mile.

Laurie Barton, a member of the Brooks Beasts, has a top mile effort of 4:35.88.

Katie Camarena, who competed at UC Santa Barbara and Portland State, has run 4:33.19 in the mile, with fellow unsponsored athlete Stefanie Parsons – a Canadian competitor who attended Edinboro and New Mexico – looking to improve on her personal-best 4:34.37 mile performance.

Ellie Leather of Great Britain, a former Cincinnati standout, is expected to pace the women’s race.

Nine of the 11 entries in the men’s elite mile have already achieved sub-4 efforts during their careers.

Andy Bayer, 33, returned to the sport following a three-year absence this season and made it to the 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships, finishing ninth.

Bayer has the fastest time in the field at 3:52.90, but is seeking his first sub-4 performance since 2017.

Eric Holt, representing Empire Elite Track Club, has clocked 3:53.53 in the mile and recently achieved a 1,500 personal-best 3:34.50 on July 22 at the Under Armour Sunset Tour event at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Holt also finished fifth in the Guardian Mile in Cleveland, Ohio, by clocking 3:57.37.

Ben Allen, Holt’s teammate with Empire Elite Track Club, is looking to improve on his personal-best 3:59.40.

Ryan Adams of Furman Elite, who has run a 3:58.48 mile on the track, placed second in The Guardian Mile with a road effort of 3:55.46.

Amon Kemboi of PUMA Elite, who boasts a personal-best 3:55.27 track mile, took third at The Guardian Mile in 3:55.48.

Australian athlete Jesse Hunt, who competed at North Carolina, has clocked 3:58.46 in the mile.

Former Oklahoma State competitor Craig Nowak, one of the most respected pacers in the sport, is entered in the elite race with a mile personal-best 3:57.97.

Dan Schaffer from On Zap Endurance has clocked 3:57.47 in the mile, but only managed a 4:03.48 performance July 29 in windy conditions at the Under Armour Sunset Tour event in Baltimore.

Jack Pinho, representing Boston Athletic Association, is also scheduled to compete with a top mile effort of 3:59.54.

Billy Hill of Garden State Track Club and Miles Smith of Peninsula Distance Club are both looking to eclipse the 4-minute barrier for the first time. Smith has run 4:01.87 in the mile and Hill has run 4:03.87.

Australian athlete Mick Stanovsek, a former Oregon standout, is scheduled to pace the men’s elite race.