Australian teenaged middle-distance star Cameron Myers has claimed the most important victory of his burgeoning career, taking down a star-studded field to win the storied Wanamaker Mile in New York.
Myers, 19, hit the front with 300 metres to run in the feature race at the Millrose Games indoor meet and hung tough to win in three minutes 47.57 seconds.
Three-time defending Wanamaker Mile champ and 2024 Olympics 1500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse was second in 3:48.31 and fellow American Hobbs Kessler was third.
Myers has won three successive major races in the US and will return home to complete a training block.
"I think it's the biggest (win of my career)," said the Canberra runner, who broke the Australian indoor and outdoor records in winning a 3000m event in Boston last week.
"This and the 3K last week are probably the big ones for me.
"I'm off to a better start than last year; I know I'm in a better spot.
"It's just about another year of development.
"I really don't try and rush things; I just let it come to me.
"I know I'm getting faster, I know I'm getting anaerobically fitter.
"Everyone is on a different trajectory and progression is never going to be linear."
The only other Australian to have won the Wanamaker Mile is Olli Hoare, in 2022.
Myers has set a slew of junior world records in the early stages of his career.
He had high expectations heading into last year's world championships in Tokyo, but was bitterly disappointed at being run out in the 1500m heats.
"I've switched my mentality to just try and win things because people can't take those away from you," he said after the victory on Sunday night (Monday AEDT) in New York.
"Medals are what we do it for.
"It's great that the last three races I've done I've managed to win them."
The previous youngest winner of the Wanamaker Mile was Marty Liquori, who was weeks older than Myers is now when he won the race in 1969.
