Cheserek to battle five Olympians in 3000m at Millrose Games

Kenya’s Edward Cheserek, who placed second in the 2019 Wanamaker Mile, will face stiff competition from among other, five Olympians and seven individual NCAA winners who will race over 3000m at the Millrose Games, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, on 29 January 2022.

Cheserek who initially wanted to race for the US but the process of changing his citizenship did not go as fast as he would have wanted chosen to try his luck with the Kenyan team for the Olympics but the competition was too stiff, missing out despite having qualification times in both 5000m and 10,000m. 

He is a 17-time NCAA champion collegiate distance runner for the University of Oregon. Cheserek was the most highly recruited high school distance runner in the nation out of Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in New Jersey where he was named the Gatorade 2012-2013 National Cross Country Runner of the year.  

In 2013, Cheserek became the first freshman in Oregon history to win the NCAA National Cross Country Championship. He repeated this feat in his sophomore and junior years at Oregon before coming in third in the race in 2016 during his senior year. In total, Cheserek has 17 NCAA National Titles, including two indoor distance medley relays and one cross-country team title. 

The Kenyan is hoping to add another title to his name when he takes to the track for the 3000m race at the January Games. Among those battling for the 3000m crown alongside Cheserek is Olympian Cole Hocker who, previously was announced for the WHOOP (the human performance company) Wanamaker Mile. 

Hocker has instead opted for the longer distance at the event in New York. The 20-year-old, who claimed the US 1500m title after NCAA mile and 1500m wins this year, placed sixth in the 1500m final at the Tokyo Olympics. 

He will be joined in the Millrose 3000m by his fellow Olympians John Gay, Joe Klecker, Luis Grijalva and Yared Nuguse, 2017 Wanamaker Mile winner Eric Jenkins, US 5km champion Drew Hunter, US half-marathon champion Conner Mantz, NCAA indoor 5000m champion, Kenya's Wesley Kiptoo, NCAA outdoor 5000m champion Cooper Teare and 2019 NCAA mile champion Geordie Beamish. 

“I could not be more excited to check off a race that I have dreamed of competing in since I first heard about it,” Hocker told World Athletics. 

“Most of the time the best part of racing has to do with the atmosphere and Millrose delivers one of the best atmospheres in all of track. I can't wait to toe the line with some of the best runners globally right now including my college teammate Cooper Teare.” 

Ray Flynn, Millrose Games meeting director, added: “This may be one of the great races of the meet. All the great young talents on the line together.”  

Additional Information by World Athletics.