NEW YORK – It seemed perfect. Bernard Lagat sat exactly where he needed to be with Asbel Kiprop of Kenya taking on all the work while he drafted and Great Britian’s Andy Baddeley kept him honest from behind. (Photo by Mary DiBiase Blaich/wingedfootfotos.com)  

NEW YORK – She looked like she had climbed a mountain or finally shouldered down a locked door that she pounded on for years. When Cory McGee finally snapped the finish line tape all she could do was stand there and take a second to enjoy a moment that teased her for her entire high school career.

The Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden is a historical meet with a rich history, an event that immediately invokes magical memories of the One Mile Run for high school enthusiasts.  With the 103rd running of these games set for Friday, January 29th we have put together five defining moments of the girls and boys high school One Mile Run.  Our hope is that these stories encourage others to look up the history of this rich event and discover how many amazing athletes have run this 11-lap-to-the-mile track and emerged with fast times and incredible stories.

 

 Jessica Tonn (Xavier College Prep) will be heading to Stanford University in the fall. 

The Suffern senior chose her dream school, even when it seemed like it would turn into a nightmare. Clayton, who leaped 20 feet, 5 inches at the Hispanic Games Jan. 9, made a verbal commitment to Louisiana State University two weeks ago.  Her jump was the ninth-best all-time in the country and the top attempt in the nation this season.

Photo courtesy of ArmoryTrack.com

   

Photos courtesy of PhotoRun.net

  The Stevens continue to rock with US#1-2 1000's in a rocking race.  Joanna won with a US#1 2:55.80 with Kathleen second with a US#2 2:56.87.  Teammate Hannah Brown finished third with a US#4 time of 2:57.36.

   

Larry Rawson--End of an Era in TV Broadcasting by Walt Murphy Larry Rawson, the (T&F) “Voice of ESPN” for its 30 years of existence, will no longer be part of the broadcast team for USATF’s series of indoor and outdoor meets. While Rawson has been replaced by Ato Boldon for meets such as the Millrose Games, the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, and the Penn Relays, he will still have a presence on ESPN this year at the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, the NCAA Indoor Championships, and major marathons in Boston, Chicago, and New York. Said Rawson, who anchored Boston College to victory in the DMR at the 1963 Penn Relays, “It’s been a great honor to represent our sport on TV and try to do my part to build our audience and make it interesting to the viewer. I’m proud to have had a hand in the growth in the ratings(on ESPN)”. Some “purists” in the sport might have cringed whenever they heard a Rawsonism like, “A mile is 4 laps around your local high school track”, but that is his way of trying to educate the casual fan. While they were waiting for a hotel elevator in Fayetteville recently, a coach approached Rawson and said with a smile on his face, “My mother LOVES you!. You help her understand what’s going on”. Standing out among the many great races he’s called over the years, Rawson cited Eamonn Coghlan’s 3:49.78 World Record mile at the Meawdowlands in 1983. On a personal note, I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Larry in the TV booth for many years and I’ve never been around a harder working, or more passionate,  announcer. No one patrols an athletes’  hotel lobby better than he does, and he has built many lasting relationships with the sport’s elite athletes. I look forward to working with him again this season, even if it's on a limited basis. And he has been, and will continue to be, a tireless advocate for the sport through his contacts at ESPN, always pushing them to get more events on the air. While his opportunities might have been reduced, he’ll still bring that great enthusiasm and  passion to whichever event he happens to be working on. Walt Murphy's News and Results Service  (wmurphy25@aol.com) (c)Copyright 2009-all rights reserved. May not be reprinted or retransmitted without permission

Wednesday, January 13th - Over sixty relay teams will qualify for the Millrose Games Wednesday night, along with two weight throwers and potentially three milers.  At the conclusion of the meet the only high school events not to be finalized will be the Metro 4x800m Relays, Miles, and Weight Throws.

The 16th Hispanic Games will be presented for the first time this Saturday by the United States Navy.  In announcing this sponsorship, Armory president noted “this is a great opportunity for our student athletes to be acquainted with the terrific programs the Navy offers to high school graduates:  The chance for an appointment at the US Naval Academy (www.usna.edu) in Annapolis, MD receiving a first rate college education with all expenses paid and the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), www.nrotc.navy.com, where most college expenses are paid at over 160 participating colleges and universities across the United States.  Navy Day at the Armory promises to be an exciting event combining the great spectacle of high school track & field with the added interest in one of America’s great national institutions.  Anchors away this Saturday at the Armory!    

     

Melissa Kurzdorfer threw US#1 and US#5 All-Time in the collegiate/open weight throw with an incredible mark of 60-2.  She also won the shot with a throw of 46-9 at the Dartmouth Relays.   File Photo: ArmoryTrack.com