Pole vaulters Hartwig, Dragila shine

American pole vaulters Jeff Hartwig and Stacy Dragila stole the show at the 95th annual Millrose Games on Friday.

U.S. outdoor record holder Hartwig, watched by a crowd of 12,245 at Madison Square Garden, broke his own Millrose Games record set in 1998 with a vault of 5.87 metres in the men's competition.

"I felt really good coming into the event," he said. "This early in the year, you really don't know what to expect."

Lawrence Johnson, the U.S. indoor record holder, was second and Derek Miles third.

Dragila, the women's World champion and record holder, cleared 4.55 metres in her first competition of the season to successfully defend the Millrose title she won last year.

Dragila, who set the world record at last year's meet and broke it 15 days later in Pocatello, Idaho, said: "I was excited coming into this year's event after my success last year here.

"Tonight was a little tough. It was hard to find my rhythm, but this meet gave me a good sense of where I am."

Three Kenyans dominated the Wanamaker Mile with Laban Rotich edging out defending champion Bernard Lagat on the final lap to win in three minutes 57.04 seconds.

KENYAN BATTLE

After early leader Bryce Knight dropped out following the fourth lap, Rotich and Lagat fought it out with another Kenyan, Leonard Murcheru, in close pursuit.

"The race was so nice, but the problem was the pace was so high (and) the field was weak," Rotich said.

"You don't expect the race to be that fast."

Regina Jacobs won the women's mile for the fourth straight year, clocking 4:34.60.

Jacobs, who ran the fastest indoor mile at last week's Boston Indoor Games, beat Russia's Lyudmila Vasileyeva.

"I felt good," said Jacobs. "I knew I had to kick with her."

Shawn Crawford and Chandra Sturrup won the men's and women's 60 metres in 6.49 and 7.11 seconds respectively.

"I came in wanting to run 6.49, and I got it done," Crawford said. "That is what I want to do."

David Krummenacker overtook Daniel Caulfield in the final lap to win the 800 metres in 1:52.30.

"It wasn't a blazing pace, but it was a great field," said Krummenacker.

"I knew I had to blaze it home and steal the last 100 metres."

Marcus O'Sullivan and Mary Decker Slaney were inducted to the Millrose Hall of Fame, as was Renaldo "Skeets" Nehemiah, the former record holder in the 100m hurdles who had a brief NFL career.

Also inducted were Olympic gold medallists Loren Murchison and Malvin Whitfield. Murchison was part of the winning 1,600m relay team in 1920 and 1924, while Whitfield won the 800m in 1948 and 1952.