The New Balance Games: Stars of Today, Tomorrow Set For Action

New York, NY – One of the Armory’s biggest events of the indoor track & field season takes place Saturday (January 26) with the New Balance Games, beginning at 9 a.m. The New Balance Games do not exclusively feature the high schools, but much of the program is dedicated to the young stars making a name for themselves before college recruiters.

The New Balance Games also highlights elite professional fields. Past winners include Olympians Natasha Hastings and Jenny Simpson.

“This year’s New Balance Games looks to be one of the best ever: record number of high school athletes in great races complemented by terrific fields in the elite miles and 400 meters, all a perfect kickoff to the feature part of our season,” said Dr. Norb Sander, Armory Foundation Executive Director.

WHO: As many as 6,000 athletes will compete from 330 schools from 11 states – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Oklahoma – and Washington D.C. Leading the way will be St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.) star Edward Cheserek.

American distance running sensation and 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship 800-meter winner Robby Andrews, featured showdowns in both men’s and women’s 400 meters as well as a talented women’s elite mile that includes Sarah (Bowman) Brown, Australian Genevieve LaCaze. Canadian Nicole Sifuentes and Bronxville High School’s Mary Cain.

Cheserek will be in the boys’ high school mile and recently was named Gatorade Runner of the Year. Cheserek, Andrews and Cain will compete in the 106^th Millrose Games, February 16 at the Armory.

“The meet promises to be very exciting as always,” said New Balance Games Meet Director Tim Fulton. “We have teams from all over the East Coast coming here to run fast and get a full Armory experience.

“New Balance has done an amazing job of helping us put on a top flight meet. The awards and presentation of the meet will be top notch. With stars like Edward Cheserek running and the addition of an invitational distance medley relay and steeple chase the meet keeps getting better and better.”

WHEN: Saturday, January 26 beginning at 9 a.m.

WHERE: The Armory, located on Fort Washington Avenue between 168th and 169th streets, in Washington Heights (212) 923-1803.

VIDEO GUIDELANES: Any and all competition footage would have to be obtained from Flotrack, who has broadcast rights. Armory technical support will provide information to obtain video.

Media can use up to 2 minutes, 2 hours apart (i.e. early news, late news). When aired, a graphic courtesy must be placed over the footage for at least 5 seconds: Courtesy: The Armory/Flotrack. Footage cannot be streamed from media website and cannot be distributed to other television stations outside of the New York market through cooperative agreements that stations may have as an affiliate of a network.

Thus, media can produce all the interviews that they want, but they have to get competition footage through Flotrack, with a courtesy.