Here’s what you need to know:

– After taking a “hiatus” from racing the mile at the Millrose Games over the last two years, Kerr’s focus shifted to longer indoor distances in recent years, including his two-mile world record of 8:00.67 in 2024 and his 3000m victory in 2023. The mile has always been his true calling. As Kerr says, “I want this Wanamaker title. I don’t care if it’s in four minutes or 3:45—I want this title pretty bad.”

– Nuguse sees this as an opportunity to secure his third title and further cement his dominance in the event. In 2023, Nuguse debuted at the Millrose Games and won in 3:47.38 – just .37 seconds shy of Yomif Kejelcha’s world record of 3:47.01. Last year, he won in 3:47.83 to become the first man to break 3:48 twice indoors. Reflecting on Millrose, Nuguse says, “That experience was so much bigger and better than I thought it was going to be. Time and time again, it’s felt like if the indoor mile record is going to happen anywhere, it would be at Millrose.”

The only men in history who have won the Wanamaker Mile at least three times are:

• Bernard Lagat (2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• Matthew Centrowitz (2012, 2015 and 2016)
• Marcus O’Sullivan (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992)
• Eamonn Coghlan (1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1987)
• Marty Liquori (1969, 1970 and 1971)
• Ron Delany (1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959)
• Don A. Gehrmann (1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952)
• Gilbert Dodds (1944, 1947 and 1948)
• Glenn Cunningham (1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938 and 1939)
• Ray Conger (1929, 1930 and 1931)

– Both athletes are riding major momentum from a historic 2024 season. Kerr captured World Indoor gold in the 3,000 meters, set a world record in the indoor two-mile and earned Olympic silver in the 1500 meters. Reflecting on his season, Kerr said, “To win a world championship title in my country, break world records and British records, then run a personal best on the biggest stage—you can’t walk away disappointed with that.”

Nuguse earned a silver medal behind Kerr at the World Indoor Championships and then his Olympic campaign culminated in a bronze medal in the 1500 meters. His signature calm approach and tactical racing kept him a consistent threat on the global stage. He says, “That Olympic final was everything I wanted in a 1500 wrapped up into one perfect race,”

A Clash Of Styles And Strategies

– The Millrose Games will be the first test of the year for Kerr and Nuguse (who will also face each other over 800m and 1500m four times as Racers in the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track starting in April).

Kerr, who has been selective of which races he contests, has a reputation for bold moves and controlling races with ferocity.

“When [Kerr] moves, he moves. It happens very quickly,” Nuguse notes. “If you’re not ready for it, you’re going to fall short in a really quick amount of time.”

Known for his patient pacing and devastating finishing speed, Nuguse thrives in races where he can gradually build momentum.

“I’m more of a slow burn,” he says. “I keep pushing and gradually grind it out.”

Kerr holds a slight 4–3 advantage in his seven career head-to-head races against Nuguse. They have been separated by less than a second in six of the seven races. If you remove the World Indoor 3000m final from their record, they are 3–3 against each other in the 1500m/mile. In 2024, Kerr beat Nuguse at the Prefontaine Classic Bowerman Mile and Olympic final (by .01 seconds). Nuguse got Kerr at the Zurich Diamond League after the Games.