2006 Millrose Games

Widely regarded as the World's greatest indoor track meet, the Millrose Games has been a sporting fixture in New York City since 1908. An announced crowd of 14,851 packed Madison Square Garden to witness Olympic-caliber stars, top college and high school athletes as well as some of the city’s youngest speedsters display their awesome athletic talents.

The Millrose Games marked the second stop of the 2006 Visa Championship Series and included men’s and women's sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, pole vaulting, men’s shot put, invitational high school and collegiate races and the "Fastest Kid in New York" competition for 8- and 9-year-olds.

Highlights from the 2006 Millrose Games

Lagat Wins Fourth Wanamaker Mile

In what was arguably the greatest field ever assembled for the famed Wanamaker Mile, American Bernard Lagat defended his 2005 victory over Olympic 1500m Bronze medalist Rui Silva of Portugal and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele—the World Record holder in three distances (10,000m, 5,000m, 5,000m indoor), 10,000-meter Olympic Gold medalist (2004) and eight-time World Cross Country Champion. Lagat surged to a 55-second first quarter and never looked back, taking command with an early lead and finishing strong in a time of 3:56.85. While Lagat did not match his 2005 performance (3:52.87) during which he broke Eamonn Coghlan‘s 24-year-old Wanamaker Mile record, his effort was more than enough to hold off Bekele (4:01.57) and Silva (4:01.79) who finished second and third, respectively.

Hoffa Repeats as Shot Put Champion

Crowd favorite Reese Hoffa, the 2005 Shot Put Champion at the Millrose Games, established a new meet record with a toss of 71 feet, 0.5 inches. The energetic, 253-pound Hoffa embraced center stage at MSG performing a surprisingly acrobatic cartwheel during his introduction much to the delight of the cheering audience. The defending champ’s record-setting toss was enough to earn him Performer of the Meet honors.

Jamaican Women Capture the Spotlight

A strong contingency of Jamaican fans greeted 200m Jamaican Gold medalist (2004) Veronica Campbell and fellow Jamaican Danielle Tauro with thunderous applause and enthusiasm. In one of the more thrilling races of the night, Campbell came from behind in the women’s 60m dash to narrowly beat American Me’Lisa Barber in a photo-finish time of 7.10 seconds. 100m American World Champion Lauryn Williams from the University of Miami finished a close third (7.19 seconds).

Gail Devers Returns to Action

American Gail Devers, the two-time 100m Olympic Gold medalist, returned to competition for the first time since the 2004 Athens Olympics. Devers, who finished fourth (8.13 seconds) in the women’s 60m hurdles, was warmly received by the crowd, who gave her an extended ovation after her introduction. American Gold medalist (2004) Joanna Hayes won the race and was the only competitor to break the eight second mark, finishing with a time of 7.93.

High School Mile

In the Boys’ High School Mile, Don McManamon of Shenendehowa (NY) held off Mark Amirault of Xaverian Brothers (MA) for a 4:17.18 victory. In college action, Fordham Prep became the only school ever to win five consecutive Millrose relay crowns in the men’s 4x800m relay.

Danielle Tauro (Southern Regional High School) thrilled the crowd with a demonstrative move from third to first place in the final half-lap of the High School Girls’ Mile. The junior finished with a time of 4:51.89—the third-fastest time in Millrose history.

2005 Millrose Games

The nation’s premier track & field event returned to Madison Square Garden for the 98th year on Friday, February 4th. The Millrose Games featured Olympic-caliber stars, top college and high school participants and a fastest kid in New York competition for 8- and 9-year-olds. Events included men’s and women's sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races--including the famed Wanamaker Mile--the pole vault, men’s shot put and invitational high school and collegiate races. New in 2005 was the girls’ and boys’ Long Island high school 4x400-meter relays.

Highlights from the 2005 Millrose Games

Lagat runs into Mile history

Kenyan Olympic silver medalist Bernard Lagat streaked to the fastest mile run in Madison Square Garden history when he clocked 3:52.87 in the Millrose Games’ Wanamaker Mile. The time broke Algerian Noureddine Morceli's Madison Square Garden best of 3:52.99 set in 1992 and was also the fastest in the world this year. Lagat's blistering early pace put him nearly a half a lap ahead of the field and he went on to finish more than seven seconds ahead of countryman Laban Rotich. US Olympian Alan Webb was third. The performance netted Lagat the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy as well as the Fred Schmertz Waterford Crystal Trophy as the meet’s outstanding performer. It was the third Millrose victory for Lagat, who also won in 2001 and 2002, but the fashion of the victory taken by the 2004 Olympic 1500m silver medalist was his most impressive of all his appearances in the Big Apple.

Hoffa upstages Nelson in Shot Put

Reese Hoffa got the upper hand on training partner Adam Nelson to win the shot put with a Madison Square Garden record and career-best 70 feet, 11.25 inches in the fourth and final round of the competition held in the spotlight in the center of track. Former three-time World outdoor champion John Godina was second with an opening round throw of 69-5.5 but fouled on his final three attempts. Nelson, the double Olympic silver medalist and the winner of the Boston Indoor Games last week, was third with a heave of 68-10.75. 2004 World Indoor Champion Christian Cantwell was fourth with a throw of 66-10.0. Hoffa’s mark broke Cantwell’s Madison Square Garden record of 69-9.58 set in 2004.

Dragila, Johnson, Clark win again

Other regular Millrose stars, Stacy Dragila, Allen Johnson and Hazel Clark continued their winning ways. Dragila remained undefeated at Millrose with a vault of 14-8.25, easily topping former NCAA champion Tracy O’Hara (14-0.5) in the women’s pole vault. Mary Saxer, a senior at Lancaster High (NY) who cleared a high school record 4.27m in the Dartmouth Relays, was sixth at 13-0.75.

World indoor champion Allen Johnson overcame a rough early portion of his race to edge French record holder Ladji Doucoure in the men’s 60m hurdles. The 33-year-old Johnson’s time of 7.53 seconds was the fastest in the world this year.

Clark timed 2:06.00 to win the women’s 800m for the third year in a row. It was the 11th 800m victory for the Clark family at Millrose along with sister Joetta Clark (1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996 and 2000) and sister-in-law Jearl Miles-Clark (2001).

Miles out duels Stevenson and Hartwig

Derek Miles won the Millrose men’s Pole Vault for the second time in three years to defeat defending champion Toby Stevenson and Millrose Games record holder Jeff Hartwig. Miles was the only vaulter to clear 18-8.25 before taking three attempts at a meet record 19-3.4. Stevenson and Hartwig finished second and third at 18-4.5.

Daigle and Scott are sprint winners

Angela Daigle and Leonard Scott ran to sprint victories in the women’s 60m and men’s 60m, respectively. Daigle powered away from Shaunta Pelham to win with a time of 7.22 seconds. Pelham finished with a time of 7.29 seconds. LaTasha Colander, the 2004 Olympic Trials 100m champion, was third with a time of 7.30 seconds and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Allyson Felix finished fourth in 7.37 seconds. The triumph provided redemption for Daigle after being overtaken by Marion Jones at the tape to finish second in the 2004 meet.

In the men’s 60m, Scott, with a 6.59 clocking, held off Mardy Scales (6.61) and Terrance Trammell (6.64).

Bershawn Jackson won the men’s 600 yards in 1:10.90, while Berhanu Alemu was the victor in the men's 800m (1:53.44) and Jaime Nieto was the best of the men’s high jumpers (2.27m).

Women’s winners included U.S. 4x400m Olympic relay gold medalist Dee Dee Trotter in the 400m (53.94); World Indoor silver medalist Carmen Douma-Hussar of Canada in the women's Mile (4:32.47); and Linda Ferga-Khodadin of France, who won the 60m Hurdles in 8.01 seconds--a blanket finish over runner-up Danielle Carruthers and third-place Vonette Dixon of Jamaica, who were both timed in 8.02 seconds.

Athlete Quotes

Reese Hoffa, men's shot put winner - "Needless to say, the atmosphere out there was electric. They did a great job. From the moment I stepped out there on the track, I knew I had the possibility of going over 70, but I kept going too far too the left. It's one of my problems. So I thought, make an adjustment and do everything as my last throw. I put it together - I was amazed. I've had some troubles putting it together. Plus, it's my PR, so that was great."

Angela Daigle, winner, women's 60 meters - "It's so amazing. It was absolutely amazing. This was huge for me - I've never won anything in my elite career yet. I almost won last year, I got snipped at the line. So I wanted to come back this year and do well. Outdoors in the 100, I'm pretty much leading for the first 60 meters. That's a good opening time for me. Last year I opened with 7.24, so improvement is good."

Bernard Lagat, winner, Wanamaker Mile - "It was a great atmosphere today. The race was well-assembled. We had Laban Rotich and my great friend and competitor, Alan Webb. It was one of the greatest miles I've been in. We have people who are great, ready to run, and we showed that today. It was a great challenge. I wanted to have my own race plan. It's a good thing, knowing I'm going into my next race in a week. It's a confidence boost. [On the fast pace]: I felt strong. I told the guy, keep on pushing, keep on moving. That was good. I wanted to run [the record] because 3:52 is not easy. Breaking the record feels good and tells me that my training is good."