The Wanamaker Mile is an indoor mile race held annually at the Millrose Games in New York City. 

It was named in honour of department store owner Rodman Wanamaker. 

Since 1926, the Wanamaker Mile has been a mainstay and highlight of the Millrose Games, which began in 1908.

The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is awarded for "an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking".

The unveiling ceremony for the Plaque, which included a video message from World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, took place on Saturday (February 8) at this year’s edition of the Millrose Games, which since 2012 has been located at The Armory on Fort Washington Avenue.

"World Athletics is delighted to award the World Athletics Heritage Plaque to the Millrose Games and its iconic marquee event, the Wanamaker Mile," Coe said.

"Founded in 1908, the Millrose Games is the world's oldest indoor track and field meeting.

"Its history has been graced by legends from Paavo Nurmi to Mal Whitfield, Carl Lewis to Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

"The Wanamaker Mile was born in 1926.

"The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is awarded for an outstanding contribution to worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics.

"World Athletics is proud to honour the Millrose Games and the Wanamaker Mile, whose contribution to the history of indoor athletics is unmatched."

Some of the most famous names in distance running have been crowned Wanamaker Mile champions, led by eight-times winner Bernard Lagat of Kenya and seven-times victor Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland.

It was recently announced that Coghlan, the world 5,000 metres champion in 1983, has donated two important historic athletics items from his illustrious running career to the World Athletics Heritage Collection.

Despite a distinguished record in outdoor track races at 1,500m and 5,000m, which included victory at the 1981 World Cup of Athletics and two fourth-place finishes at the Olympic Games, Coghlan is best known for his exploits on indoor tracks.

He was nicknamed "The Chairman of the Boards" thanks to the tight-banked wooden boarded track in Madison Square Garden, which hosted his memorable Wanamaker Mile victories.

During his indoor career, Coghlan won the European 1,500m gold medal in 1979 and set three world indoor bests for the mile. 

The last of these, run on February 27 1983 in the Meadowland Arena in East Rutherford, became the first officially ratified world indoor mile record at 3min 49.78sec.

Coghlan has presented the World Athletics Heritage Collection with one of the Wanamaker Mile trophies which he received to commemorate his victories in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987.

He has also donated the light green spikes which he wore when setting the world indoor mile best of 3:52.6 in San Diego on February 17 1979, a spectacular performance which put him on the front cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

"I was a guest at the Heritage Mile Night in Monaco in November which brought together so many record-breakers and champions," Coghlan said.

"All of us old friends. 

"So many reminiscences to recall and share.

"It struck me then how important it was that we treasure and honour the past of athletics, a sport which has given us all so much. 

"That’s why I’m really pleased to make this donation of one of my Wanamaker trophies and my record-breaking spikes to the World Athletics Heritage Collection. 

"I hope when publicly displayed they help boost interest in running."

Coghlan’s Wanamaker Mile trophy and spikes will be publicly exhibited at a World Athletics indoor athletics display which will open prior to the next edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Chinese city Nanjing in 2021.

The event was scheduled to be held this March, but was postponed last month due to the outbreak of coronavirus in China.