The British 5000m record-holder tells AW that “it’s a smart decision” to not double up in the Japanese capital
George Mills has revealed that he will just focus on the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September 13-21).
The Brit, who took almost seven seconds off Mo Farah’s 14-year-old British 5000m record (12:53.11) with 12:46.59 at the Oslo Diamond League, has already told UK Athletics that he’s taken himself out of consideration for selection in the 1500m.
He made the decision to not double up in the Japanese capital with his OAC Europe team last October. At the Paris Olympics, Mills reached the 1500m semi-finals and 5000m final. If you add his repechage round in the metric mile, the 26-year-old raced five times in just eight days.
A year on from the Games, Mills believes he can win a 5000m medal in Tokyo and feels he is “more dynamic in the 5000m compared to the 1500m”.
“This was very much a decision we immediately made after Paris,” he tells AW. “Since we started preparing for this season last October, everything has been geared towards me being the best 5000m runner I can be in Tokyo. So the goal is to stand on the podium.
“I’ve been very clear on that and, for the tools and skills I have, I feel the 5000m [compared to the 1500m] is probably my better event. I’m not ruling the 1500m out of consideration for future championships and I’d love to attack both in the long-term. But this year I think it’s a smart decision to go all-in on the 5000m.”
So what has influenced his decision? Mills fractured his wrist after falling in the 1500m at the London Diamond League and, off the back of successful surgery, is once again training at his high-altitude camp in St Moritz. When asked if that had an impact on whether to not double up in Tokyo, he points to the fact this decision was made last October.
What about the scheduling in the Japanese capital? The 1500m comes before the 5000m, with a one day gap between the final of the former and heats of the latter.
Mills states that it “has influenced the decision a bit” and that if the 5000m was before the 1500m then “it’d be a different story and we might’ve looked to do both”.
However, even running 3:28.36 at the Paris Diamond League – the second quickest 1500m time in British history behind Josh Kerr – didn’t influence him and his team to change course.
“It was exactly that [an extra bonus for the year],” he adds. “I’d actually done no specific 1500m work before that race and only really practised the distance [3:32.67 at the Stockholm Diamond League] five days earlier. I was more than surprised with the time and that was a special thing for a lot of people around me.
“After Paris I did say to Thomas [Dreissigacker – Mills’ coach] ‘do you think we should do the 1500m now?’ but he was very stern and said that we should stick to the plan, which was just the 5000m. Looking back, that was the right decision.”
Mills has secured European 5000m and indoor 3000m silver medals – finishing behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen on both occasions – but has yet to make the podium at at global major championships.
To do so he will likely have to challenge the Norwegian who, after achieving a world and European indoor 15000m/3000m double, hasn’t raced since picking up an Achilles tendon injury.
Even though Ingebrigtsen is yet to open outdoors this season, Mills believes the double reigning world 5000m champion will be a threat in Tokyo. “He’ll be ready,” the Brit says. “I don’t think he’s someone you should write off. The Americans will also be very strong and the East Africans can’t be discounted either.”
Selection for the World Athletics Championships isn’t yet official but Mills is the only Brit who has gone under the automatic qualification standard for the 5000m (13:01.00). In fact, his national record of 12:46.59 is the sixth fastest time by anyone globally this season.
So what are his tactics for Tokyo?
“In terms of the rounds there are two 5000m races (September 19 and 21) with one day between them,” he says. “It goes without saying but I just have to make sure I get through the heats.
“If that means I have to run a bit harder than I initially thought then so be it as you don’t want to be back on the plane a couple of days early. You just have to be prepared for every scenario, whether that’s mental or physical. It’s the beauty of racing. You don’t know what’s going to happen.
“You go into every race trying to win but I think with our current plan and trajectory, if I got a medal then we’d come away feeling very positive this season. It’d be a great stepping stone for the future.”
