Nick Willis won his first race back after injury, taking out the 1500m at the Len Paddock Invitational track and field meeting in Michigan.

Competing on his home track at Ferry Field, Ann Arbour Willis won comfortably in 3m 43.44s, beating Steve Sherer who recorded 3m 45.50s.

It was also a notable occasion for Willis last Friday as the victory came on the same day as he announced his engagement.

The Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist will next race is this Sunday in the Kip Keino mile at the Harold Porter Track at the Ithaca High School in New York. He will be up against a strong field which includes 2004 US Olympian steeplechaser Anthony Famiglietti who has a best mile of 3m 55.71s. Willis' best mile is 3m 52.75s recorded in Wanganui in February 2006.

The next week Willis will race over 3000m in Los Angeles and then take part in the Reebok mile in New York on 2 June, as he builds up for the world championships in Osaka Japan in August.