Sydney McLaughlin, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, Heather MacLean, Roisin Willis Teaming Up to Try to Break DMR World Record on April 15
By Jonathan Gault
April 7, 2022
Update: Sydney McLaughlin did not run due to injury, but the New Balance team broke the world record. Story here.
New Balance is hoping to start Boston Marathon weekend with a bang. On April 15, three days before the 2022 Boston Marathon, a team of three New Balance All-Stars and one high school phenom will attempt to set a world best in the indoor distance medley relay (1200-400-800-1600) at The TRACK, the brand-new indoor track located at New Balance’s global headquarters in the Allston neighborhood of Boston.
The team will feature three of New Balance’s most high-profile pros as well as high school star Roisin Willis of Stevens Point, Wisc., who ran 2:00.06 to set the indoor high school national 800m record in Boston on February 11 and will run the 800 leg. The team will be anchored by World Indoor 3000m silver medalist Elle Purrier St. Pierre. Olympian and 2022 US indoor 1500m champion Heather MacLean will get things started on the 1200 leg and she’ll hand off to400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin, who will be racing for the first time since earning double gold in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay at last year’s Olympics in Tokyo.
The world best (World Athletics does not recognize an official world record in the indoor DMR) currently stands at 10:39.91 and was set just two months ago by the Nike Union Athletics Club squad of Ella Donaghu (3:16.01), Raevyn Rogers (52.68), Sinclaire Johnson (2:02.89), and Shannon Osika (4:28.33).
Before that, the record belonged to a different New Balance all-star team from 2017 featuring McLaughlin, Emma Coburn, Brenda Martinez, and Jenny Simpson. At the time, McLaughlin was a senior in high school; she would ultimately sign a professional contract with New Balance a year later. By making Willis part of the attempt, New Balance is signifying its interest in the young 800m star.
The outdoor best in the women’s DMR — which is recognized as an official world record by World Athletics — is 10:36.50, set by the US team of Treniere Moser (3:18.38), Sanya Richards-Ross (50.12), Ajee’ Wilson (2:00.08), and Shannon Rowbury (4:27.92) at the 2015 World Relays.
The event will be open to the public.
Talk about the WR attempt on our fan forum/messageboard. MB: New Balance is going for the DMR WR next Friday and will have HSer Roisin Willis on the team – Does this mean she’s going pro?