Coming from behind and taking over the reins is common in the short course events! But how normal is it in the middle distance course? Not very common! However, the 117th Millrose Games were an exception. Especially in the Dr. Sander Men’s 3000m race, where several big names from the track and field fraternity gathered to win the crown. The race had Olympic champion Cole Hocker and Olympians like Grant Fisher. Also, it had standouts in the form of KY Robinson, Dylan Jacobs, and others. 

Even so, Hocker and Fisher engaged in a fierce track battle. In the final 50 meters, these two American runners ran shoulder to shoulder, and only a miracle could have managed to get a perfect result out of the situation. And, subsequently, a miracle followed! Fisher handed Cole Hocker a defeat. But wait, that may not be a miracle. Then? Well, Grant Fisher posted world-record timing to defeat the Olympic champion. 

Yes, on February 8, Grant took 7:22.91 minutes to win the men’s 3,000m event in the Millrose Games. The timing was the world record in the event. Additionally, Cole Hocker’s timing was no less exciting. He took 7:23.14 to settle for second place. It was his personal best in the event. But hold on, as there’s more!

Hocker’s timing in the event came in the two-time World Athletics Indoor Championships medalist Lamecha Girma’s former world record. So it was two in two for both champion and runner-up athletes in the event. And believe in Grand Slam Track’s excitement regarding the result. 

Notably, both runners are registered to compete in the contest in just a few weeks. Before that, such a result was bound to create elation. The X-handle of GST felt that emotion. The handle proudly announced the result on X with the caption, “THE TWO FASTEST 3000M TIMES EVER!” In another post, the X-handle celebrated Grant’s victory with the post, “HOLY **** GRANT YOU ANIMAL.” You need to have an ‘animal’ speed to win a race where you are chased by an Olympic champion. That’s what surely happened in the Armory Track & Field Center on Saturday. Yet, there had been more in the mix. Such as?

The consistent result of almost every contestant in the event! Any breakdown of the result? The top two rankers got away with touching or setting up new world records. But the chasing runners were no less. In fact, Jimmy Gressier took the third position, clocking 7:30.38 minutes. His timing was the French national record. Meanwhile, Ky Robinson joined the party. The Australian claimed fourth place, setting up the Australian national record (7:30.38). A look at the larger picture will show that 10 out of 11 contestants set their personal best in the event last night. 

What could have been more mind-blowing than this? Well, let us add another fact to it. Last night’s race was Grant Fisher’s first 3000m short-track event this season. The track and field fans couldn’t miss the event. Nor did they ignore the extraordinary facts regarding the event. And in the comment box, they shared their takes on the event!

Grant Fisher’s night earns an ovation from the track and field fans 

In the comment box beneath Grand Slam Track’s X-post, someone wrote, “That was out of the world, what a race from Fisher, dude was on fire out there.” After 2400 m in the race, Cole Hocker thoroughly gained his pace. He looked to wrap up the event early, claiming the top podium. But the head-to-head battle in the last 50m with Grant Fisher changed everything. The Olympic bronze medalist outpaced the Olympic champion. Such a finish brings joy to the fans, attracting them to watch track and field sports again and again. Isn’t that so?

Someone in the comment box agreed and left the words, “Stop what you’re doing and WATCH THIS FINISH!” The finish was flamboyant, where two American runners left everyone gasping. Someone described it, penning, “That was NUTS. Holy crap. What have we just seen.”  While another fan wrote, “Best race of the games, Just wow.” Did anyone expect to see such an ending? Obviously, not! But were the fans left loving the thrill? A big fat yes! In fact, it was the first head-to-head track battle between Grant Fisher and Cole Hocker in the men’s 3000m indoor event. And Grant hit the bingo! However, for a few fans, the runners are beyond being competitors to each other. How? The GST link. 

The fan, meanwhile, chimed in with lines, “THE SLAM BROS JUST ROCKED THE ARMORY.” Both runners will see each other in April in the events of Grand Slam Track. The result from the Millrose Games will surely push the runners to go above and beyond on the track once again. Till then, keep guessing about the probable results.