Nick Willis: Is There a Classier Guy in T&F?

Man... that guy is a class act.

I will be rooting for him in future events.

Yeah. Pretty stellar guy. Well spoke, gracious, a student of the sport, and a damn good runner to boot. May be on the down side of his career. Hope he gets a medal in London. Still not clear what exactly was wrong with him in Degau, but clearly something was not quite right.

Probably not, and more importantly, no one has a more gorgeous wife either.

Too boring - couldn't watch it all. Will take your word for it that he is a classy guy.

It's been interesting to see him grow up in public. He's got the life he wants. He has a Commonwealth gold, an Olympic medal, and lots of New Zealand records, so whatever happens now is gravy, plus he's got a wife who's not only gorgeous but on the same page as him in all their ventures and their faith. He wears it all well. He's a good guy.

[quote]losingwithdignity wrote:

May be on the down side of his career.quote]

Still don't know where these statements are coming from. He came into Daegu having run his fastest 1500m time ever, and the 3rd fastest guy in the field (based on this years' performances). He wasn't exactly a medal favorite in Beijing, so that time period wasn't necessarily better (he had a more favorable result,yes, but he was running slower).

I agree with the message/theme of this thread. By all outward appearances, he comes off as a cool guy. Def someone I'd buy a beer for. But while he may not have performed up to the level he wanted to, this is the fastest he's ever been, so I disagree that he's on the decline.

Hank Moody wrote:

Probably not, and more importantly, no one has a more gorgeous wife either.

Pics please

he curses. bad example for kids.

Hank Moody wrote:

Probably not, and more importantly, no one has a more gorgeous wife either.

This ^ post is useless without pics.

Here's a start:

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/234011-The-Road-Begins-Here-Flotrack-Original-Series/video/72093-Cooking-with-Kiwi-Nick-Willis

Took Awhile wrote:

Here's a start:

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/234011-The-Road-Begins-Here-Flotrack-Original-Series/video/72093-Cooking-with-Kiwi-Nick-Willis

Yes...hot and seems quite nice too. Video would be otherwise deathly boring.

I met him back when we were both in high school, and he was a really good dude back then as well. He's a nice guy and a straight shooter.

Castor is a close second

Everybody that comes into contact w/Nick is better off for it...and he gives the impression that he's an equal recipient. He met his wife in a Bible study session. This guy is the real deal - and he can run a little.

Agree with everything that's been said in these posts. Willis is a great guy and his wife, Sierra, is a perfect match.

I met both of them last year and have been a big fan of Nick ever since. I wish him luck in London next year.

He is a fantastic guy. Can't help but wonder why he went straight to the front in the final, though...

Nick has always been a class act. As a Michigan freshman in the NCAA 1500 in Sacramento, he lost a shoe early in the race and was so far out of it that he could easily have dropped out rather than make the effort, but told me afterward that he felt an obligation to finish in that he was lucky enough to be competing. "I'm glad it happened to me and not to a senior who's running his last NCAA," Nick said. "I'm just a freshman and I'll have more chances."

Talk about a young man having his priorities in order.

I've been fortunate to get to know lots of great people in my 40-plus years of covering the sport, and Nick is right up there with the best of them. No ego at all. Truly, with Nick what you see is what you get.

I went for a run with him, and he greeted everyone we passed with a smile and "hello!" A classy gent!