Jenny Barringer Running Mile, Maggie Vessey-Phoebe Wright Racing at New Balance Games in NYC
By Victor Sailer
January 20, 2010
Jen Simpson (newly married last October) the AR holder at the steeplechase, will make her NYC Armory racing debut on January 22nd at the New Balance Games at the Armory Track and Field Center in NYC. Last year on signing a contract with New Balance, Jen expressed a desire to race on the Armory track... and that time is here on Saturday. It will not be "easy" for the illustrious Colorado graduate with 2008 USA Olympic credentials in the steeplechase who can go the distance with anyone at a mile, 3000, 5000m as well as the steeplechase! Determined to upset the proverbial applecart amongst a deep field of 14 will be 2005 champion Carmen Douma-Hussar (Canada), fellow Villanova graduate Frances Koons(USA), now training in New Jersey with legendary coach Frank "Gags" Gagliano, and making her debut in New York the 19 year old sensation from Ireland, Ciara Mageean. Ciara surprised the world at last year's World Junior Championships with a silver medal in the 1500m. This young woman is going to be on everyone's radar for sure as we edge ever closer to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Meanwhile in the men's mile, the defending champion Andy Baddeley (Great Britain) returns seeking a third win in the big apple having also won the race in 2008 has unfortunately withdrawn with a hamstring injury. Standing in his way is likely to be Stanford graduate Garrett Heath, certainly one to watch in the very near future. Keep an eye out also for Lee Emanuel from Great Britain who had a sterling collegiate career with NCAA titles whilst attending the University of New Mexico. The battle to go sub four minutes will be intense and the meet record of 3:54.98 set by Mark Carroll (Ireland) in 2008 could well be in jeopardy.
A new event this year is the women's 800m featuring the mercurial Maggie Vessey (USA). Talented but inconsistent, Maggie will need all her resolve to beat LSU graduate Latavia Thomas who is very familiar with winning at the Armory, and Phoebe Wright, NCAA 800m Champion, a 1:58 performer setting out on her professional career having had a terrific collegiate career at the University of Tennessee. And again there is an outstanding young talent who just might suprise them all. Claudia Francis, a senior at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens is in terrific shape. Claudia, a two time National HS Champion outdoors at 800m, recently ran a 400m relay leg in 55.1 at the Armory... and she will not be lacking for support in the pulsating arena. Claudia competed for the USA at 1,000 in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
In the women's 400m, Natasha HastingsUSA) is back to defend her 400m title. Natasha, beloved in the Armory since her days at A.P. Randolph High Schoo, knows every inch of the track which is arguably the fastest indoor track in the world. Last weekend, Natasha set an indoor PR of 23.22 at the Nittany Lions Challenge. Natasha will be facing 4x4 Olympic Gold Medalist teammate, Mary Wineburg. Mary took off 2009 on maturnity leave and quite the indoor speedster.
It is going to be quite a meet with the proffessional athlete events sandwiched between an all day high school meet attracting some 5000 student athletes... the Armory is just one block from Broadway... expect drama and excitement as only New York can provide.
Provisional Start Lists
Womens's 400m
Natasha Hastings USA
Mary Wineburg USA
Wendy Fawn DORR USA
Brandi CROSS USA
Tamika KINCHENS USA
Moushami ROBINSON USA
Womens Mile
1. Jen Simpson (Barringer) USA
2. Carmen Douma-Hussar Canada
3. Hilary Stellingwerff Canada
4. Lindsay Gallo USA
5. Frances Koons USA
6. Ciara Mageean Ireland
7. Brenda Martinez USA
8. Marina Muncan Serbia
9. Megan Wright Canada
10. Elizabeth Maloy USA
11. Nikeya Green USA
12. Rachel Cliff Canada
1Dana Buchanan Canada
1 Lesley Higgins USA
Womens 800m
1. Maggie Vessey USA
2. Phoebe Wright USA
3. Heidi Dahl USA
4. LaTavia Thomas USA
5. Charlotte Browning Great Britain
6. Rachel Aubry Canada
7. Claudia Francis USA
8. Stephanie Herrick USA
9. Jen Metz USA
Mens 1500m
1. Kyle Boorsma Canada
2. Kyle Miller USA
3. Matthew Hulse Canada
4. Harbert Okuti Uganda
5. Tommy Lecours Canada
6. Moise Joseph Haiti
7. Liam Boylan-Pett USA
8. Aidan Walsh USA
Mens Mile
Record: Mark Carroll 3:54.98 2000
1.
2. Ricky Stevenson Great Britain
3. Rob Myers USA
4. Mark Draper Great Britain
5. Garrett Heath USA
6. Taylor Milne Canada
7. Lee Emanuel Great Britain
8. Tim Konoval Canada
9. Rob Novak USA
10. Darren Brown USA
11. Craig Miller USA
12. Alex Wechsler USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
Runner's World &
Running Times
Combined Only $22
a Year
Save $87
Running & Track and Field Posters
Running Shoe Savings: Nike Lunar Glide 20% Off Super popular shoe from Nike featuring Flywire and Lunar Foam