January 19, 2004
January 19, 2004 – The Ninth Annual New Balance Games, bringing together more than 5,000 competitors from around the world, will be held on Saturday, January 24th, at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory (216 Fort Washington Avenue). Among the highlights will be the New York Road Runners Record Challenge 2-Mile Race pitting Galen Rupp, a senior from Central Catholic high school in Portland, OR, against Josh McDougal, a home schooled senior from Peru, NY. The two high school athletes will challenge the boy's high school indoor 2-mile record of 8:40.00 set by Gerry Lindgren in 1964.
In the Men's Elite Mile, James Thie of England, last year's New Balance Games and United Kingdom indoor 1500m champion, will aim to beat the 3:54.98 record set by Mark Carroll in 2000. He will face Eliud Njubi of Kenya, who finished second in the New York Road Runner's Collegiate invitational last year, and top-ranked Anthony Whiteman of Great Britain running for Team New Balance.
In the Women's Elite Mile, Hayley Tullet of England, one of the world's top women's milers and 1500 meter finalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, looks to be the favorite against Lyubov Kremlyova of Russia. Tullet is looking to break the record of 4:21.79 set by Regina Jacobs in 2000.
With the strongest field in New Balance Games' history, the competition for the High School Boy's Mile event will be stacked as Hakon Devries, of John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction, NY, winner of this year's Hispanic Games (4:14.40) takes on Ahmed Haji, of Conard High School in Connecticut, and Kevin Tschirhart, of Northport High School in Long Island, who finished second (4:16.60) and fourth (4:18.00) place, respectively, in the Hispanic Games. In addition, Eric Giddings, of South Portland High School, ME, winner of the mile (4:18.3) in the Dartmouth Relays Meet, and Brian McCabe, of Fordham Prep, are also contenders in this race.
On the High School Girl's Mile side, a "Canadian invasion" will take place as sisters Auril and Lisa Ogrudnick of Eaconsfield High School in Quebec, who took first (4:59.10) and second (5:01.40) place respectively, at the Dartmouth Relays, attempt to beat Heather Iaturo from Tri-Valley High School in the Hudson Valley and Casey Nelson of Hunterdon Central in New Jersey.
"We are proud to gather the world's top track and field elite and high school talent at the New Balance Games for a day of exciting competition," says Katie O'Brien, marketing promotions associate at New Balance. "New Balance has always had a strong commitment to supporting grassroots athletic events like the Games."
The annual New Balance Marty Glickman Award winners will also be announced during the track and field meet. Since its inception in 1999, the award has provided a total of $15,000 each year for two New York State high school track and field programs that best demonstrate academic achievement, community service and school spirit. Previous winners have used these funds to expand their programs, purchase new equipment and subsidize team trips to out-of-state meets.
Also that day, a special ceremony will be held for the opening of The National Hall of Fame at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory. Spanning three floors and 15,000 square feet, the Hall of Fame houses the history, politics, physiology and technologies of track and field. New Balance's "What Makes a Champion Gallery" will function as both exhibit space and classroom. It contains several videos, including one that features interactive capability, giving visitors an opportunity to "interview" five elite athletes and get responses and advice directly from them. The interviewees, who all donated their time, are among the most respected and prominent figures in U.S. track and field: Olympic champions Marion Jones, Maurice Greene and Gail Devers; World Champion shot putter John Godina, and high school record-holder in the mile Alan Webb. Other attractions will include the Hall of Fame Gallery, the Fred Lebow Marathon Hall and the Bud Greenspan Film, "Olympic Legends."
The Ninth Annual New Balance Games is a premiere high school meet for approximately 5,000 scholar-athletes with select feature elite events. The Mondo banked system, the only one of its kind in New York State, makes the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory one of the fastest indoor tracks in North America.
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., headquartered in Boston, MA, is a leading manufacturer of technologically innovative width-sized performance footwear and athletic apparel for women, men, and children. The range of product categories includes running, walking, cross training, basketball, tennis, adventure sports, and kids. Dunham joined the New Balance family in Fall 1998. Dunham is an outdoor performance brand known for its technologies, innovations and development of footwear that is lightweight, comfortable and inspired by the world outside. New Balance acquired the rights to the PF Flyers brand in February 2000. First introduced in 1937 by the B.F. Goodrich Company, PF Flyers was re-launched in Spring 2003 as an authentic brand of active casual footwear. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. employs more than 2,400 people around the globe, and in 2002 reported worldwide sales of $1.3 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.
