(Left) New York Road Runners President and CEO
Michael Capiraso, 2016 NYRR Wanamaker Mile women’s
champion Shannon Rowbury and New York Road Runners
President of Events and Race Director of TCS New York City Marathon Peter Ciaccia. Photo courtesy of Ross Dettman.
Three-time Olympian Shannon
Rowbury will go for her third straight title in
the NYRR Wanamaker Mile, while Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy will make his debut in the event at the 110th NYRR
Millrose Games on Saturday, February 11 at The Armory’s New Balance Track and
Field Center. The signature event at the NYRR Millrose Games has taken place
every year on the men’s side since 1926 and on the women’s side since 1976.
This year’s field will include five men and four women who have competed in the
Olympic Games and will be broadcast live nationally by
NBC Sports Group.
“The NYRR Wanamaker Mile is one of the most prestigious and
historic track and field events in the world,” said Peter Ciaccia,
NYRR president of events and race director of the TCS New York City Marathon.
“This year’s fields are once again first class, with Shannon going for a
three-peat and Clayton, one of Team USA’s newest Olympic medalists, making his
much -anticipated debut in the event. Through our great partnership with
The Armory, we’re honored to be able to recruit these amazing athletes to run
at the New Balance Track and Field Center.”
Rowbury, 32, of Portland, OR, is the American record-holder in both the
1500 meters and 5000 meters, having taken the mark in the latter at last
September’s Diamond League Final in Brussels, clocking a 14:39.92 to shatter
Molly Huddle’s previous record. The two-time world bronze medalist ran away
with the NYRR Wanamaker Mile title in 2015, winning by three seconds in
4:24.31, the No. 4 indoor time in the world that year. She defended her title
last year, easily prevailing to take the tape in 4:24.39. Rowbury
is a two-time 5th Avenue Mile champion who finished in
fourth place in the 1500-meter final at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
“I’m
so excited to be back at the NYRR Millrose Games, and to have another shot at
the indoor mile American record,” Rowbury said.
“Racing in NYC at an NYRR event is one of the highlights of my season. The
atmosphere at The Armory and the quality of the competition never fails to
impress, and I hope that I can do the same.”
Added NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn: "We witnessed the fastest men's mile in the world set last
year. The NYRR Wanamaker Mile continues to be one of the great indoor races and
this year's fields live up to the great competition we've come to expect."
Murphy,
21, of New Paris, OH, was the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion over 800 meters
and won bronze in the distance at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He set a personal best
in Rio, running 1:42.93 to become the third-fastest American in history.
Murphy, who won two NCAA titles in 2016 and a Pan American title in 2015,
finished fourth the last time he was in New York City at September’s New
Balance 5th Avenue Mile.
“To me the most prestigious indoor meet in the world is the NYRR
Millrose Games, and the Wanamaker Mile is without a doubt, the feature event,”
Murphy said. “I am looking forward to experiencing this historic event from the
inside for a change. I have been enjoying myself since turning pro last summer
and most of my success has come in the 800 meters, but I really feel my
potential in the mile is untapped. I can't wait to show the fans in New York
what I can do.”
Added NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn: "We witnessed the fastest men's mile in the world set last
year. The NYRR Wanamaker Mile continues to be one of the great indoor races and
this year's fields live up to the great competition we've come to expect."
Additional Top Athlete
Backgrounds and Notable Performances
- Robby Andrews,
25, of Manalapan, NJ, qualified for his first Olympic team last summer
after finishing second over 1500 meters at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. A
2011 NCAA champion at 800 meters, Andrews finished fourth in last year’s
NYRR Wanamaker Mile.
- Eric Jenkins,
25, of Portsmouth, NH, won the 2016 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile,
outkicking Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz
at the finish. He narrowly missed an Olympic berth with a fourth-place
finish over 5000 meters at last year’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
- Leo Manzano,
32, of Austin, TX, became the first American to medal in the 1500 meters
at the Olympics in 44 years in 2012. He placed fourth in the event at the
2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, ending his 10-year streak of finishing in
the top three in the event at the national championships.
- Kate Grace,
28, of Sacramento, CA, won the 800 meters at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team
Trials in a personal-best 1:59.10 and then ran a new personal best of
1:58.79 in the Rio Olympic semifinals before placing eighth in the finals.
She also finished second at the 2016 New Balance Games Mile.
- Brenda Martinez,
29, of Big Bear Lake, CA, made her Olympic Games
debut last summer, competing in the 1500 meters in Rio. She finished fifth
in the distance at last year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships and owns a
bronze medal in the 800 meters from the 2013 IAAF World Championships.
- Nicole Sifuentes,
30, of Canada, made her second Olympic team last summer, getting to the
semifinals of the 1500 meters. The 12-time NCAA All-American at the University
of Michigan was a bronze medalist in her signature event at the 2014 IAAF
World Indoor Championships.
Top Professional Men
|
Name |
Mile Personal Best |
Twitter Handle |
|
Leo Manzano, USA |
3:50.64 |
@leomanzano |
|
Robby Andrews, USA |
3:53.16 |
@RA_Andrews |
|
Izaic
Yorks, USA |
3:53.89 |
@IzaicY |
|
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, CAN |
3:54.52 |
@Chuck_PT |
|
Kyle Merber, USA |
3:54.57 |
@TheRealMerb |
|
Colby Alexander, USA |
3:54.94 |
@okaycolby |
|
Johnny Gregorek, USA |
3:55.27 |
@JohnnyGregorek |
|
Eric Jenkins, USA |
3:57.09 |
@_EricJenkins |
|
Clayton Murphy, USA |
3:57.11 |
@Clayton_Murph |
|
Drew
Hunter, USA |
3:57.15 |
@drewhunter00 |
|
Henry Wynne, USA |
3:58.74 |
@Hwynning |
Top Professional Women
|
Name |
Mile Personal Best |
Twitter Handle |
|
Shannon Rowbury, USA |
4:20.34 |
@ShannonRowbury |
|
Katie Mackey, USA |
4:25.48 |
@KatiefMackey |
|
Amanda Eccleston, USA |
4:25.64 |
@AmandaEcc |
|
Brenda Martinez, USA |
4:26.76 |
@bmartrun |
|
Lea O’Connor, USA |
4:27.18 |
@LeahKayO |
|
Heather Kampf, USA |
4:27.23 |
@HeatherRaeKampf |
|
Alexa Efraimson, USA |
4:27.39 |
@AlexaEfraimson |
|
Nicole Sifuentes, CAN |
4:27.93 |
@ndsifuentes |
|
Kate Grace, USA |
4:28.30 |
@fastk8 |
|
Elinor Purrier, USA |
4:29.71 |
@ellepurrier |
|
Dominique Scott-Efurd, RSA |
4:31.57 |
@domscottrunSA |
|
Kaela Edwards, USA |
4:32.14 |
@kaelaAedwards |
|
Kate Murphy, USA |
4:39.47 |
@trackmurph |
Purchase tickets to the 110th NYRR Millrose Games on February 11 before they sell out at tickets.nyrrmillrosegames.org/tickets
