The Millrose Games are an annual indoor athletics (track & field) meet held each February in New York City. Among the world's most prestigious indoor track meets, the games currently take place at the Fort Washington Avenue Armory in Washington Heights, having done so since 2012. They were previously held at Madison Square Garden from 1914 to 2011.http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2011/05/12/2011-05-12_millrose_games_after_almost_100_years_at_madison_square_garden_will_be_held_at_t.html New York Daily News May 12, 2011
The games were started when employees of the New York City branch of Wanamaker's department store formed the Millrose Track Club to hold a meet.
Today, the Millrose Games feature elite competitions for athletes at all levels, including youth, club, masters, high school, collegiate, and professional levels.
The featured event is the Wanamaker Mile.
History
The Millrose Games began in 1908 at a local armory the same year when its parent, the Millrose Athletic Association, was formed as a recreational club by the employees of the John Wanamaker Department Store. "Millrose" was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
In 1914, after overflowing the armory the year before, the Millrose Games moved to Madison Square Garden, and until 2011 was the oldest continuous sporting event held there. For 10 years beginning in 1916, the Wanamaker 1 ½ Mile race was a highlight of the meet. Run for the last time in 1925, the final edition was won by Paavo Nurmi, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland. In 1926, the distance was shortened, and the Wanamaker Mile was born. It has often been run at 10 p.m., a carryover from the days beginning in the 1930s when noted sports announcer Ted Husing would broadcast the race live on his 10 p.m. radio show.
The Wanamaker Mile has been won by over 44 different men, including Glenn Cunningham, Kip Keino, Tony Waldrop, Filbert Bayi, Steve Scott, Noureddine Morceli, Bernard Lagat, Marcus O'Sullivan, Ron Delany, and Eamonn Coghlan. Coghlan was known as the “Chairman of the Boards” for his dominance on the old wooden Millrose track and won the mile seven times, a feat surpassed only by Bernard Lagat, who won his eighth Wanamaker Mile in 2010."Lagat Wins Mile at Millrose, Tying Coghlan’s Record". The New York Times, 2009-01-31.
Some highlights in Millrose history include Ray Conger's 1929 upset win over Nurmi in the Wanamaker Mile; pole vaulter Cornelius Warmerdam becoming the first person to vault indoors, in 1942; John Thomas hitting the first high jump, in 1959; Mary Decker’s run to a 1500-meter World Indoor Record to encouragement from the crowd, in 1980; John Uelses becoming the first person to pole vault the height of 16 feet; Carl Lewis in 1984 breaking the World Indoor Record with a jump of , 10.25 inches, a mark that still stands; Eamonn Coghlan notching his then record seventh Wanamaker Mile in 1987; Bernard Lagat breaking Coghlan's record with his eighth Wanamaker Mile triumph in 2010, and Stacy Dragila setting a late-night pole vault world record in 2001.
For 70 of its first 96 years, the role of Millrose meet director was a father-son affair: Fred Schmertz directed the meet in 1934, passing on that position to his son Howard in 1975. In 2003, the title of Meet Director Emeritus was bestowed on the younger Schmertz.
In May 2011 Norbert Sanders, the President of the Millrose Games, announced that, starting January 2012, the games would be moved to the Armory in Washington Heights, at 168th Street, and that a new all-day Saturday schedule would replace the Friday evening format.
The Millrose Games, operated by The Armory Foundation, are also notable for their rigid anti-doping policies. In 2017, Millrose race director Ray Flynn told an ESPN reporter, "We have a mandate that we don't invite any athlete that has had any drug history in their past. We want to keep our meet free of any athlete that really has a violation."
The Millrose Games were first added to the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold Standard in 2022.
At the 2023 Millrose Games, Dr. Anthony Fauci attended and was honored with The Armory's Presidents Award.
At the 2024 Millrose Games, the President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, was given The Armory's Presidents Award.Millrose Games 2024 In-Person Booklet
Editions
+Millrose Games Editions Name Date 1908 47th Regiment Armory Games 7 Feb 1908 1909 47th Regiment Armory Games 16 Jan 1909 1910 Wanamaker Games 29 Jan 1910 1911 Millrose Games 22 Feb 1911 1912 Millrose Games 20 Jan 1912 1913 Millrose Games 18 Jan 1913 1914 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1914 1915 Millrose Games 14 Jan 1915 1916 Millrose Games 26 Jan 1916 1917 Millrose Games 24 Jan 1917 1918 Millrose Games 23 Jan 1918 1919 Millrose Games 25 Feb 1919 1920 Millrose Games 10 Feb 1920 1921 Millrose Games 8 Feb 1921 1922 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1922 1923 Millrose Games 31 Jan 1923 1924 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1924 1925 Millrose Games 27 Jan 1925 1926 Millrose Games 4 Feb 1926 1927 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1927 1928 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1928 1929 Millrose Games 9 Feb 1929 1930 Millrose Games 8 Feb 1930 1931 Millrose Games 7 Feb 1931 1932 Millrose Games 6 Feb 1932 1933 Millrose Games 4 Feb 1933 1934 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1934 1935 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1935 1936 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1936 1937 Millrose Games 6 Feb 1937 1938 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1938 1939 Millrose Games 4 Feb 1939 1940 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1940 1941 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1941 1942 Millrose Games 7 Feb 1942 1943 Millrose Games 6 Feb 1943 1944 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1944 1945 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1945 1946 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1946 1947 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1947 1948 Millrose Games 31 Jan 1948 1949 Millrose Games 29 Jan 1949 1950 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1950 1951 Millrose Games 27 Jan 1951 1952 Millrose Games 26 Jan 1952 1953 Millrose Games 29 Jan 1953 1954 Millrose Games 6 Feb 1954 1955 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1955 1956 Millrose Games 4 Feb 1956 1957 Millrose Games 9 Feb 1957 1958 Millrose Games 8 Feb 1958 1959 Millrose Games 31 Jan 1959 1960 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1960 1961 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1961 1962 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1962 1963 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1963 1964 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1964 1965 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1965 1966 Millrose Games 27 Jan 1966 1967 Millrose Games 26 Jan 1967
+Millrose Games Editions Name Date 1968 Millrose Games 25 Jan 1968 1969 Millrose Games 31 Jan 1969 1970 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1970 1971 Millrose Games 29 Jan 1971 1972 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1972 1973 Millrose Games 26 Jan 1973 1974 Millrose Games 25 Jan 1974 1975 Millrose Games 31 Jan 1975 1976 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1976 1977 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1977 1978 Millrose Games 27 Jan 1978 1979 Millrose Games 9 Feb 1979 1980 Millrose Games 8 Feb 1980 1981 Millrose Games 6 Feb 1981 1982 Millrose Games 12 Feb 1982 1983 Millrose Games 28 Jan 1983 1984 Millrose Games 27 Jan 1984 1985 Millrose Games 25 Jan 1985 1986 Millrose Games 14 Feb 1986 1987 Millrose Games 30 Jan 1987 1988 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1988 1989 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1989 1990 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1990 1991 Millrose Games 1 Feb 1991 1992 Millrose Games 7 Feb 1992 1993 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1993 1994 Millrose Games 4 Feb 1994 1995 Millrose Games 3 Feb 1995 1996 Millrose Games 2 Feb 1996 1997 Millrose Games 7 Feb 1997 1998 Millrose Games 13 Feb 1998 1999 Millrose Games 5 Feb 1999 2000 Millrose Games 4 Feb 2000 2001 Millrose Games 2 Feb 2001 2002 Millrose Games 1 Feb 2002 2003 Millrose Games 7 Feb 2003 2004 Millrose Games 6 Feb 2004 2005 Millrose Games 4 Feb 2005 2006 Millrose Games 3 Feb 2006 2007 Millrose Games 2 Feb 2007 2008 Millrose Games 1 Feb 2008 2009 Millrose Games 30 Jan 2009 2010 Millrose Games 29 Jan 2010 2011 Millrose Games 28 Jan 2011 2012 Millrose Games 11 Feb 2012 2013 Millrose Games 16 Feb 2013 2014 Millrose Games 15 Feb 2014 2015 Millrose Games 14 Feb 2015 2016 Millrose Games 20 Feb 2016 2017 Millrose Games 11 Feb 2017 2018 Millrose Games 3 Feb 2018 2019 Millrose Games 9 Feb 2019 2020 Millrose Games 8 Feb 2020 2021 Millrose Games Cancelled due to COVID-19 2022 Millrose Games 29 Jan 2022 2023 Millrose Games 11 Feb 2023 2024 Millrose Games 11 Feb 2024 2025 Millrose Games 8 Feb 2025 2026 Millrose Games 1 Feb 2026
Meeting directors The Millrose Games has had ten meeting directors over its rich history. Meet DirectorYear(s) ActiveCol. Clarence W. Smith1911Johnny Fleeson1912Andrew Christie1913-1914John J. McGowan1915-1919 John G. Anderson1920-1933Fred Schmertz1934-1974Howard Schmertz1975-2003David Katz2004-2008Mark Wetmore2009-2011Ray Flynn2012-present
World records Over the course of its history, five world records and three world bests have been set at the Millrose Games.
+World records & bests set at the Millrose GamesYear Event Record Athlete Nationality1984Long jump8.79 m1988Mile walk5:33.53 201835.45 8:05.89Raevyn RogersCharlene LipseyAjeé Wilson20247.678:00.67 20253000 m7:22.91Grant FisherMile run3:46.63Yared Nuguse
Meeting records
Men
+Men's meeting records of the Millrose Games Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet 60 m6.45Maurice Greene4 February 2000300 m32.35Rai Benjamin8 February 2020400 m45.35Bralon Taplin20 February 2016500 m1:00.06Brycen Spratling14 February 2015600 y1:07.53Mark Everett7 February 1992600 m1:14.04Will Sumner8 February 20252025800 m1:43.90Josh Hoey8 February 202520251000 m2:17.63Pierre-Ambroise Bosse15 February 20141500 m3:31.74Yared Nuguse8 February 20252025Wanamaker Mile3:46.63Yared Nuguse8 February 202520252000 m4:54.74Bernard Lagat15 February 20143000 m7:22.91Grant Fisher8 February 20252025Two miles8:00.67Josh Kerr11 February 202420245000 m13:07.15Bernard Lagat11 February 201260 m hurdles7.38Dylan Beard8 February 20252025High jump2.34 mJimmy Howard26 January 198514 February 1986Pole vault5.87 mJeff Hartwig1 February 2002Long jump8.79 m WRCarl Lewis27 January 1984Shot put22.58 mRyan Crouser11 February 20232023Weight throw24.82 mLance Deal3 February 1993Mile walk5:33.53Tim Lewis5 February 19884 × 200 m relay1:26.24Garden State TC:Rikkoi BrathwaiteNadale BuntinJae'Len MeansAlex Kainer11 February 202420244 × 400 m relay3:11.53Atlantic Coast Club8 February 19884 × 800 m relay7:21.37Penn State:Brannon KidderCasimir LoxsomZa'Von WatkinsRicky West16 February 2013Distance medley relay9:42.79NJ/NY TC:Travis MahoneyBen ScheetzNick ReidChristian Thompson16 February 2013
Women
+Women's meeting records of the Millrose Games Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet 60 m6.99Julien Alfred11 February 20242024300 m35.45 WBShaunae Miller-Uibo3 February 2018400 m50.89Sanya Richards-Ross11 February 2012500 m1:07.34Courtney Okolo11 February 2017600 y1:20.79Lashinda Demus1 February 2008600 m1:23.59Alysia Montaño16 February 2013800 m1:58.29Ajeé Wilson8 February 20201:58.27 Ajee' Wilson11 February 20171000 m2:35.50Tsige Duguma1 February 20261500 m3:59.87Konstanze Klosterhalfen8 February 2020Wanamaker Mile4:16.41Elinor Purrier11 February 202420243000 m8:25.05Alicia Monson11 February 20232023Two miles9:04.84Laura Muir11 February 202420249:04.39Medina Eisa11 February 202420245000 m14:57.18Betsy Saina20 February 201660 m hurdles7.67Devynne Charlton11 February 20242024High jump2.00 mYaroslava Mahuchikh11 February 20242024Pole vault4.91 mSandi Morris8 February 2020Long jump7.00 mJackie Joyner-Kersee7 February 1992Triple jump12.40 mSydnee Burr11 February 20242024Shot put20.03 mChase Ealey11 February 20232023Weight throw24.19 mAmber Campbell29 January 2010Mile walk6:17.29Rachel Seaman15 February 20144 × 200 m relay1:36.30Garden State TC:Taylor AndersonFelicia Brown EdwardsGabrielle FarquharsonHaisha Bisiolu11 February 202320234 × 400 m relay3:40.51Atoms Track Club27 January 19844 × 800 m relay8:05.89 WRChrishuna WilliamsRaevyn RogersCharlene LipseyAjeé Wilson3 February 2018Distance medley relay11:14.16NJ/NY TC:Heather WilsonDanielle TauroKimmara McDonaldCaroline King16 February 2013
Notes
References
External links
Millrose Games & Wanamaker Mile