Press Release: Abby Nichols leads six under 4:30 and Amon Kemboi outkicks the crowd to win the 2023 Sir Walter Miler

Abby Nichols leads six under 4:30 and Amon Kemboi outkicks the crowd to win the 2023 Sir Walter Miler

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 10th -anniversary race did not disappoint at the 2023 Sir Walter Miler as Abby Nichols led six women under 4:30 and Amon Kemboi led six men under 4:00 on Friday night at Meredith College. Nichols took the win with a time of 4:26.80, while Kemboi ran 3:57.84 in front of the sort of electric crowd support the event has become accustomed to.

In the Women’s race, Nichols triumphed in a race which came down to a frenetic last lap. Three women entered the final circuit within a tenth of a second together and the lead changed hands twice over the final 200 meters from Madie Boreman to Krissy Gear to Abby Nichols, where it stayed.

In the end, Nichols took the win by 0.71 seconds over Gear, who is bound for Budapest. and the World Track & Field Championships, after stunning the field with her 2023 USATF Championship in the 3000m steeplechase. Nichols and Gear, teammates with HOKA NAZ Elite, also went 1-2 at the HOKA Festival of Miles, with Nichols setting the meet record in 4:26.08.

Four women also broke the 4:30 barrier for the first time in their careers Friday night: Boreman, Laurie Barton, Katie Wasserman and Katie Camarena. With the four new entries on the list, 105 American women have now gone under 4:30 in the mile. Sir Walter Miler has contributed 18 women to that list, the most all-time by a single race.

On the Men’s side, the race went tactical as four men crossed through with a lap to go between 3:01 and 3:02. Six of those men ended up breaking the coveted four-minute barrier, but it was Amon Kemboi who was able to find the best kick, outlasting Ben Allen and Dan Schaffer with his 56.56 second final lap to snag the win.

Despite the tactical pace, 10 men still ran under 4:04 in the race. Pacer Mick Stanovsek is owed a lot of credit for keeping the field together and near four-minute pace, while Eric Holt deserves plenty himself, as he took over the lead and ran valiantly before fading slightly as the bunched-up pack lurched forward to dip under the barrier.

Women’s Elite Mile (Race Video on YouTube)

1. Abby Nichols – 4:26.80 ($1850)
2. Krissy Gear – 4:27.51 ($1300)
3. Madie Boreman – 4:27.71* ($1100)
4. Laurie Barton – 4:28.37* ($800)
5. Katie Wasserman – 4:28.89* ($600)
6. Katie Camarena – 4:29.75* ($500)
7. Jenn Randall – 4:30.23
8. Stefanie Parsons – 4:34.09
9. Logan Jolly – 4:34.28
10. Micaela DeGenero – 4:34.36
11. Taylor Werner – 4:40.35
12. Gina McNamara – 4.44.57
13. Lauren Berman – 4:53.58

*First time sub-4:30

Men’s Elite Mile (Race Video on YouTube)

1. Amon Kemboi – 3:57.84 ($1700)
2. Ben Allen – 3:58.19 ($1200)
3. Dan Schaffer – 3:58.57 ($900)
4. Jesse Hunt – 3:58.93 ($600)
5. Ryan Adams – 3:59.44 ($400)
6. Andy Bayer – 3:59.54 ($300)
7. Craig Nowak – 4:00.76
8. Miles Smith – 4:01.08
9. Eric Holt – 4:02.37
10. Jack Pinho – 4:03.24
11. Billy Hill – 4:12.57

Full Results (including Coaches Clash and Run Club 4×400)