Olympic Eduction Discipline: Middle distnce running Specilist events: 800m nd 1500m ws born in Lower Hutt (ner Wellington) in 1983.Running tlent obviously runs in the Willis fmily, s Nick nd his brother Steve re the only brothers in the history of New Zelnd to run mile in less thn 4 minutes. When he ws t Hutt Vlley High School in Jnury 2001, Nick becme the fstest New Zelnd student to run mile in just 4 minutes nd 1.33 seconds. After high school, Nick ws wrded n thletics scholrship t the University of Michign in the United Sttes of Americ. He thrived in the environment, nd his running went from strength to strength. He represented New Zelnd t the 2004 Athens Olympic Gmes nd the 2005 World Chmpionships, reching the semifinl ech time. At the 2006 Melbourne Commonwelth Gmes, Nick took the Gold Medl in the 1500m. In 2008, he reched the finl of the 1500m t the Beijing Olympic Gmes. After tight rce, Nick finished third to clim the Bronze Medl. In 2009, the winner of the rce, Rshid Rmzi, ws disqulified becuse of positive drug test. So Nick s Bronze Medl ws upgrded to Silver. (For further informtion on Nick s experiences t the 2008 Olympic Gmes, see It Pys to Ply Fir in the Living the Olympic Vlues resource, http:// www.olympic.org.nz/eduction/living-olympic-vlues) At the 2010 Commonwelth Gmes in Delhi, Nick ws recovering from knee surgery, but he didn t let this stop him from winning the Bronze Medl. currently lives in Michign his wife Sierr, when he isn t trvelling to trin nd compete. For more bout Nick, see the Living the Olympic Vlues resource, vilble from http://www.olympic.org.nz/eduction/livingolympic-vlues Imges copyright Getty Imges. 1
Olympic Eduction Creer highlights 2010: Bronze Medl in the 1500m t the Delhi Commonwelth Gmes (3 min 42.38 sec). 2008: Silver Medl in the 1500m t the Beijing Olympic Gmes (3 min 34.16 sec). 2006: Gold Medl in the 1500m t the Melbourne Commonwelth Gmes (3 min 38.49 sec). First New Zelnder to win Gold in this event t the Commonwelth Gmes. 2005: Broke the New Zelnd record for the 1500m, held for 32 yers by John Wlker. 2002: Fourth in 1500m t the World Junior Trck nd Field Chmpionships. 2001: Record for fstest New Zelnd student over mile (4 min 1.33 sec). http://www.willisrunning.com/ Imges copyright Getty Imges. 2
Olympic Eduction Middle distnce running The most common middle distnce running events re the 800m, the 1500m nd the mile. Events longer thn sprints nd up to the 3000m re included in this ctegory. Middle distnce runners hve to hve good endurnce. They need to mintin good pce throughout the run s well s sving enough energy to sprint to the finish. Tctics lso ply big prt in middle distnce running, s most competitors will hve pln for the rce. Good middle distnce runners cn think on their feet nd dpt their strtegy s the rce goes on. Imges copyright Getty Imges. 3
Olympic Eduction 800m The men s 800m hs been n event t every modern Olympic Gmes. It involves running two lps of stndrd 400m trck. Women first rn the 800m in the 1928 Olympic Gmes, but the event ws not run gin until 1960. World records (s of December 2011) Men: 1 min 41.01 sec Women: 1 min 53.28 sec 1500m The 1500m is the most prestigious middle distnce event. It consists of threend-three-qurter lps round stndrd 400m trck. In the erly 1900s, the trcks in Europe were generlly 500m, so the 1500m rce cme from three lps of the trck. The men s 1500m hs been n event t every modern Olympic Gmes, but the women s event hs only been run since 1972. World records (s of December 2011) Men: 3 min 26.00 sec Women: 3 min 50.46 sec Imges copyright Getty Imges. 4
Olympic Eduction Well-known New Zelnd middle distnce runners Jck Lovelock: 1936 Olympic Gmes 1500m Gold Peter Snell: 1960 Olympic Gmes 800m Gold, 1964 Olympic Gmes 800m nd 1500m Gold John Wlker: 1976 Olympic Gmes 1500m Gold Peter Snell Jck Lovelock Imges copyright Getty Imges. John Wlker 5