Willis, Webb (and Verzbicas) to Battle in Boston

High School Phenom Lukas Verzbicas also added to field

Couresty of Race organizers
January 18, 2011

*LRC MB: Webb vs Willis vs Verzbicas at New Balance Indoor

BOSTON (Jan. 18) – Organizers announced today that Olympic Silver Medalist Nick Willis from New Zealand and American Recorder-Holder Alan Webb will match-up in the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday, February 5^th.  Also added to the field is the nation’s top high school miler from 2010, Lukas Verzbicas.  Tickets for the 16^th annual Olympic-styled event are on sale now at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.

Willis, who in 2008 became NewZealand’s first male track athlete in 32 years to bring home an Olympic medal, is also the 2006 Commonwealth Games Champion. Last year, Willis added the New Zealand indoor 1500m record to his own outdoor record, and then took bronze in the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games.  Willis also broke the New Zealand and NCAA indoor records for 3000 meters at this event in 2004 while competing for the University of Michigan and has won the mile in Boston in each of the last two years.   

Webb, who won here in 2007, has recorded the fastest time ever by an American for the outdoor mile at 3:46.91 and is continuing his return from Achilles surgery in 2010. Lukas Verzbicas, the two-time Footlocker Cross Country Champion from Orland Hills, Illinois, led the nation at this distance outdoors in 2010 (4:04.38). Showing great success at a wide range of disciplines, Verzbicas is the National High School Indoor Record Holder at 5000m (14:18.42), and is also one of the world’s top junior triathletes, having won the 2010 USA Triathlon Flatland Junior Elite Cup. 

Other anticipated events will include the women’s pole vault, which will feature Olympic Silver Medalist and American Record-Holder, Jennifer Suhr, as well as a 60m dash match-up between former World Champion and Olympic Medalist Lauryn Williams and Olympic finalist Marshevet Myers. Kalkidan Gezahegne from Ethiopia, the World Indoor junior record-holder at 1500m and the mile and the 2010 World Indoor Champion at 1500m, will return to Boston to add the mile to the 3000m title she won here in 2010.

The 16th-annual meet, the second stop in USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series, begins at 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 5 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College.  Tickets and meet Information can be found on-line at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.

*LRC MB: Webb vs Willis vs Verzbicas at New Balance Indoor

About New Balance

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host.  New Balance employs more than 4000 people around the globe, and in 2009 reported worldwide sales of $1.65 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.

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