In what is being billed as the most anticipated indoor meet of the new year, Olympic heavyweights Yared Nuguse and Grant Fisher will return to the site of their world-record heroics at Millrose Games. But for the fans at the Armory, the focus isn’t on the past—it is on the brewing rivalries that defined the 2024 Paris Games.

The Battle for the Mile

Yared Nuguse, the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist, enters the Wanamaker Mile seeking a rare fourth consecutive victory. However, his path to a historic “four-peat” is blocked by a hungry chasing pack.

Nuguse will face off against rising stars Hobbs Kessler and Cameron Myers in a rematch of last year’s podium. While Nuguse holds the psychological edge in New York, Kessler’s tactical growth over the last season suggests the crown is far from safe.

Image: Yared Nuguse in mid-stride during a high-stakes race

Fisher vs. Hocker: The Two-Mile Duel

Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the 2026 bill is the two-mile showdown between Grant Fisher and Cole Hocker.

Fisher, who decimated the world short-track 3000m record on this very track, will renew his rivalry with Hocker—the man who shocked the world to take 1500m Olympic gold in Paris. It is a classic confrontation of strengths: Fisher’s relentless engine versus Hocker’s devastating closing kick. In the tight turns of a short track, the tactical battle will be as significant as the physical one.

Global Stars Ascend in New York

The talent pool at Millrose Games extends well beyond the distance events:

• The Sprint Queen Returns: Meanwhile, Saint Lucia’s Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred headlines a stacked women’s 60m field. However, she faces a formidable British challenge in Dina Asher-Smith in a race that serves as an early litmus test for the world indoor season.

• Hurdles Powerhouse: World record-holder Devynne Charlton (Bahamas) will look to defend her territory against Jamaica’s Danielle Williams.

• The Heavyweights: In the shot put ring, two-time world champion Joe Kovacs opens his season against a field featuring Nigeria’s Chuk Enekwechi and Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell.

Millrose Games: Why it Matters

For athletics fans and global observers alike, the Millrose Games (a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event) marks the official end of the “off-season.” As these athletes transition from base training to elite competition, New York will provide the first real data on who has found their speed—and who is still shaking off the winter rust.