Centrowitz, DeLoach, Felix and De Grasse All Impress

By Scott Bush

The NYRR Millrose Games did not disappoint. Meet records, world leaders and numerous top ten U.S. all-time performances took place at The Armory, as top American track and field talent hit the track (and field) one more time before the focus shifts to the USATF Indoor Championships next month. 

Here's what we learned:

Centrowitz is Eyeing Gold at World Indoors

It's been a great 2016 indoor season thus far for Matthew Centrowitz and it only got better Saturday in New York City. The Nike Oregon Project star scored another huge NYRR Wanamaker Mile win with his meet record of 3:50.63, beating rival Nick Willis, who finished second in 3:51.06. Centrowitz ran the race to perfection, sliding past Willis with a lap to go and never relenting the lead. 

Centrowitz not only broke the meet record, but his mark ranks US#2 all-time indoors behind Bernard Lagat's 3:49.89 from 2005 and ranks #4 all-time indoors in the world. His late race speed, in race tactics and ability to control moves when it matters most have us thinking Centrowitz is going to certainly contend for gold at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland next month. 

Top Four All-Time Indoor Mile Performances

3:48.45 - Hicham El Guerrouj (1997)
3:49.78 - Eamonn Coghlan (1983)
3:49.89 - Bernard Lagat (2005)
3:50.63 - Matthew Centrowitz (2016)

Best American Women's Indoor 5,000m Ever

Near perfect pacing by Rachel Schneider made the women's 5,000m one to remember. The early pace was set to challenge the American indoor 5k record of 14:47.62 set in 2009, but the field couldn't hold the pace and what resulted was a fantastic finish. Once Schneider dropped out, Molly Huddle took over the lead and solely pushed the pace until two laps to go when Bowerman Track Club teammates Betsy Saina and Emily Infeld tried to take over. 

While Huddle held them off for a lap, it was Saina slipping just ahead of Huddle with a lap to go, as the two sprinted home. While Saina held on for the win 14:57.18-14:57.31, what happened behind them was shocking.

14:57.18 - Betsy Saina (KEN)
14:57.31 - Molly Huddle (USA)
15:00.91 - Emily Infeld (USA)
15:06.05 - Marielle Hall (USA)
15:06.22 - Shelby Houlihan (USA)

Huddle improved her indoor 5k PR by 16 seconds, moving up to US#2 all-time indoors, while Infeld, Hall and Houlihan moved into US#3, US#4 and US#5 all-time indoors. That's right, four of the top five fastest 5,000m times ever run indoors by American women occurred Saturday in New York City.

Felix Showing Top Form on the Track and Off

While reigning outdoor 200m champion Dafne Schippers (NED) continues to dominate the 60m event indoors, Allyson Felix threw down her own inspired performance, winning the women's 60m final in 7.15 seconds. Felix edged tough competition from Tianna Bartoletta and Jenna Prandini to take home the title. Bartoletta placed second in 7.20, while Prandini finished third in 7.22.

Felix improved upon her 7.24 seasonal best at the House of Track in Portland earlier this month, while Bartoletta matched her seasonal best, the same time she ran at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix last weekend. Competition will be fierce to make the American 60m squad for the IAAF World Indoor Championships, but Felix continues to show she's definitely a favorite to make the team and challenge for a medal. 

Another observation was how well Felix interacted with fans and media after her race. Clearly one of the focal-point athletes for Team USA and track and field as a whole as we near the Rio Olympics, Felix was in top form off the track, showing why she's easily one of the most marketable athletes in the sport.

De Grasse in Mid-Season Form

If you want to watch one of the worst starts of the 2016 pro track and field season, watch Canadian Andre De Grasse's start at Millrose. If you want to see one of the most impressive 30m-60m shifts, watch De Grasse further. The World Championship bronze medalist was the favorite in the field and came up big despite being in the last place out of the blocks. 

De Grasse charged up to narrowly beat China's Su Bingtian 6.61-6.62, but a win is a win and De Grasse showed once again why he can't be overlooked in any race all season long.

DeLoach is Amazing

30 year old Janay DeLoach continued her impressive indoor campaign by edging Brianna Rollins for the win in the women's 60m hurdles, 7.85-7.89. DeLoach got off to a great start and ran a near perfect race, becoming the foruth hurdler in the world to break the 7.90 barrier this season (the other three are Keni Harrison, Rollins and reigning world indoor champion Nia Ali). While Harrison and Ali squared off over in Great Britain Saturday, where Harrison bested Ali and continued her dominance on the season, DeLoach showed she's a true medal contender for World Indoors. Oh, and she ranks #8 in the world in the long jump currently. 

We've written it a few times already, but the race to watch at the USATF Indoor Championships is clearly the women's 60m hurdles, as any of about eight different women could take home the win.

Kynard Steps it Up

Erik Kynard has been relatively quiet so far this indoor season, having only gone 2.25m at a small meet at Kansas State late last month. Kynard jumpstarted his season with a victory Saturday, clearing 2.30m for the win and pushing towards a world top-ten ranking. He'll have plenty of competition this season, but his Millrose performance was another step in the right direction as the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist seeks to stand on the podium again this August.

Other Notable Performances

Do any Americans have a better kick over 3,000m and 5,000m than Bowerman Track Club's Ryan Hill? Hill had all he could handle from Oregon Track Club Elite's Hassan Mead in the men's 3,000m at The Armory, edging Mead at the line 7:38.82-7:38.85, but again a win is a win and Hill took home another big victory. While Hill already ranks top five indoors all-time, Mead's performance moved him up to US#6 all-time indoors over the 3,000m distance, while Eric Jenkins moved to US#8 all-time with his 7:39.43 third place finish. Throw in Evan Jager, Mo Ahmed and Edward Cheserek all finishing between 7:40.10-7:40.51 and this race was definitely one to remember.

Not to be overlooked, Ajee' Wilson ran a world-leading time in the women's 800m with a new indoor personal best of 2:00.09, just holding off a charge from Brenda Martinez, who finished a close second in 2:00.14. Former Oregon standout Laura Roesler finished third in 2:00.49, while current Oregon standout Raevyn Rogers finished fourth in 2:00.90. All four women now rank top ten in the world and show just how deep and talented the U.S. is over the distance.