by Larry Eder
Jen Simpson running 4:28.60 WL for mile at NB Games, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Natasha Hastings, winning 400m in WL 52.29 at NB Games, photo by PhotoRun.net
Craig Miller wins very tight mile, in 3:59.10, at NB Games, photo by PhotoRun.net
Craig Miller winning 1,500m, in WL time of 3:41.99, at NB Games, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Well, Jenny Simpson (Barringer) lived up to her promise from last year’s NB Games,where she promised to run at the Armory. And run she did! Jenny ran a world leading 4:28.60 to be one of four world leaders in the NB Games.
The NB Games are really the professional kick off of the indoor season in the U.S. The NB Armory will host over 60 events in 2011 with nearly 80,000 athletes getting a chance to make the Mondo track rock in one of the most important sanctuaries for indoor track & field. RBR looks forward to seeing more meets there in the future, and congratulates the participants in this excellent meet!
Special thanks to Ian Brooks and Dan Greene for the following story on the 2011 NB Games!
The New Balance Games officially kicked off the USA
professional indoor season with great crowd support from the over 5000 in
attendance and the athletes did not disappoint. For the first time, the
tight elite schedule featured a women’s 800m and a star studded field which
featured 4 World Leaders and a 500m USA HSR. In the W800m, the pacer led out in
58 seconds through the halfway point when Phoebe Wright(USA) aggressively
pushed the remaining laps to finish in 2:00.30. Phoebe’s training partner
in Knoxville, Heidi Dahl(USA), made a strong move with 250m remaining but
wasn’t able to get around Wright and finished in second with LaTavia
Thomas(USA) a very close third. The top three women all ran under 2:02,
extremely quick performances for the early season meet. “It was so
fast! Those girls were moving,” said Maggie Vessey who closed well in her
trademark style, but not quite quick enough to crack the top three.
professional indoor season with great crowd support from the over 5000 in
attendance and the athletes did not disappoint. For the first time, the
tight elite schedule featured a women’s 800m and a star studded field which
featured 4 World Leaders and a 500m USA HSR. In the W800m, the pacer led out in
58 seconds through the halfway point when Phoebe Wright(USA) aggressively
pushed the remaining laps to finish in 2:00.30. Phoebe’s training partner
in Knoxville, Heidi Dahl(USA), made a strong move with 250m remaining but
wasn’t able to get around Wright and finished in second with LaTavia
Thomas(USA) a very close third. The top three women all ran under 2:02,
extremely quick performances for the early season meet. “It was so
fast! Those girls were moving,” said Maggie Vessey who closed well in her
trademark style, but not quite quick enough to crack the top three.
In the men’s mile, there was a lot of movement in the pack as
the athletes cycled through turns at the front. After the pacemaker
dropped out, the race saw four individual leaders in the final laps with
Wisconsin graduate Craig Miller(USA) powering home for the win in his first
professional indoor season in 3.59.10WL, “I knew I was in Sub 4 minute mile
shape, I went for it with 200m to go, I look forward to moving up
to the 5000 this year. I’m off to Australia to train with coach Nic Bideau’s group at
altitude in Fall’s Creek”. Canadian Taylor Milne finished second with a
PR, in 3.59.34 with Garrett Heath(USA) third and Rob Novak(USA) fourth, all
under four minutes.
the athletes cycled through turns at the front. After the pacemaker
dropped out, the race saw four individual leaders in the final laps with
Wisconsin graduate Craig Miller(USA) powering home for the win in his first
professional indoor season in 3.59.10WL, “I knew I was in Sub 4 minute mile
shape, I went for it with 200m to go, I look forward to moving up
to the 5000 this year. I’m off to Australia to train with coach Nic Bideau’s group at
altitude in Fall’s Creek”. Canadian Taylor Milne finished second with a
PR, in 3.59.34 with Garrett Heath(USA) third and Rob Novak(USA) fourth, all
under four minutes.
One year ago, Jen Barringer Simpson stood in front of the
Armory crowd to announce her relationship with sponsor New Balance at the 2010
New Balance Games. During the ceremony, emcee Ian Brooks asked whether
she would return to contest the event the following year to which she
enthusiastically agreed. True to her word, she thrilled the Armory crowd
by controlling the race from start to finish with a powerful negative split in
the second half to finish in 4:28.60. After the race, Simpson mentioned
that she was happy to start the new year off with a solid opening
performance. “I got out a little slower than I’d wanted but felt really
good about being able to move well in the second half to get under 4:30 for my
first real race of the season,” Jenny said later. “It was fun, it’s been a long
road back to the track, I was nervous and excited. I was able to close with a
strong last 200m.”
Armory crowd to announce her relationship with sponsor New Balance at the 2010
New Balance Games. During the ceremony, emcee Ian Brooks asked whether
she would return to contest the event the following year to which she
enthusiastically agreed. True to her word, she thrilled the Armory crowd
by controlling the race from start to finish with a powerful negative split in
the second half to finish in 4:28.60. After the race, Simpson mentioned
that she was happy to start the new year off with a solid opening
performance. “I got out a little slower than I’d wanted but felt really
good about being able to move well in the second half to get under 4:30 for my
first real race of the season,” Jenny said later. “It was fun, it’s been a long
road back to the track, I was nervous and excited. I was able to close with a
strong last 200m.”
In the M1500, Kyle Miller(USA), not related to the men’s mile
winner, ran away from the field in 3.41.99WL. Local heroine, Natasha
Hastings(USA) took an earlier lead
in the W400m and finished ahead of fellow relay Olympic Gold medalist, Mary
Wineberg, 52.29 -52.61. Michael Courtney(USA) took the M400m at 49.19 over
Trinidads’ LaLonde Gordon, 47.35.
Sixteen year old Najee Glass(USA), set an American High School Record
for 500m at 1.02.22 breaking the 1989 mark of Mike Green. Najee was pushed to
the record by Strymr Livingston(USA), 1.02.88
winner, ran away from the field in 3.41.99WL. Local heroine, Natasha
Hastings(USA) took an earlier lead
in the W400m and finished ahead of fellow relay Olympic Gold medalist, Mary
Wineberg, 52.29 -52.61. Michael Courtney(USA) took the M400m at 49.19 over
Trinidads’ LaLonde Gordon, 47.35.
Sixteen year old Najee Glass(USA), set an American High School Record
for 500m at 1.02.22 breaking the 1989 mark of Mike Green. Najee was pushed to
the record by Strymr Livingston(USA), 1.02.88
The New Balance Games marks the first of the high profile
events to come over the next several weeks. Madison Square Garden will
once again host the Millrose Games next weekend and attention shifts to Boston
the following week for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.
events to come over the next several weeks. Madison Square Garden will
once again host the Millrose Games next weekend and attention shifts to Boston
the following week for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.
M-400m
1. Michael Courtney
(USA) 47.19
(USA) 47.19
2. LaLonde Gordon (TRI) 47.35
3. Troy Faulkner
(USA) 48.05
(USA) 48.05
W-400m
1. Natasha Hastings
(USA) 52.29WL
(USA) 52.29WL
2. Mary Wineberg (USA) 52.61
3. Fawn Dorr(USA) 53.71
W-800m
1. Phoebe Wright
(USA) 2.00.39
(USA) 2.00.39
2. Heidi Dahl(USA) 2.01.80
3. LaTavia Thomas(USA) 2.01.81
M-1500m
1. Kyle Miller(USA) 3.41.99WL
2. Liam Boylan-Pett(USA) 3.43.60
3. Herbert Okuti(UGA) 3.45.25
W-Mile
1. Jen Simpson(USA) 4.28.60WL (4.11.0)
2. Carmen Douma-Hussar(CAN)4.30.88 (4.12.4)
3. Frances Koons (USA) 4.31.53PB (4.12.6)
4. Hillary Stellingwerff
(CAN) 4.31.53 (4.13.0)
(CAN) 4.31.53 (4.13.0)
5. Marina Muncan (SRB) 4.31.84 (4.13.7)
M-Mile
1. Craig Miller (USA) 3.59.10WL (3.43.3)
2. Taylor Milne (CAN) 3.59.34PR (3.43.6)
3. Garrett Heath (USA) 3.59.58 (3.43.9)
4. Rob Novak (USA) 3.59.70
PR and first sub 4 mile
PR and first sub 4 mile
