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New Balance Indoor Grand Prix: American Performers Include Jenny Simpson, Matt Centrowitz, Morgan Uceny, Galen Rupp
From the New Balance Indoor Grand PrixJanuary 17, 2012; updated 2/2/12
Boston, MA
The 17th annual New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, February 4 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, MA. The meet is the second stop in the USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series. ESPN2 will broadcast next day coverage on Sunday, February 5 from 2:00-4:00 pm EST.
The women's World 1500m champion, Jenny Simpson, will open her 2012 season, and the men's World 1500m bronze medalist, Matthew Centrowitz, will make his professional track debut at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. The men's World 5000m champion, Mo Farah of Great Britain, and the women's USA Outdoor 1500m champion, Morgan Uceny--both ranked #1 in the World in 2011--will also compete. Rising American star Galen Rupp will race the men's mile.
Update 1/26/12: 2008 Beijing double Olympic Champion Tirunesh Dibaba (entered in the women's 2 mile), Olympic and World Champion Meseret Defar (women's 3000m), and World Championship medalists Shannon Rowbury of the USA (women's 3000m), Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (men's mile), Silas Kiplagat (men's 3000m), and Haron Keitany (men's mile) have been added to the field in the middle and long distance events. Shannon Rowbury is the 2009 World 1500m women's bronze medalist.
American Jenny Simpson delivered one of the most memorable moments of the 2011 IAAF World Championships as she kicked past the entire field in the 1500m final to become the first American woman to win an outdoor world title at this distance since Mary Slaney’s victory at the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, more than 28 years ago. An intelligent and savvy racer, Simpson also set the American record in the women's 3000m steeplechase.
“2011 was a big year for me. . Preparations for 2012 are going well and I am excited to return to Boston. Track fans at Reggie Lewis have shown that they particularly appreciate the distance races. I am looking forward to giving them a glimpse of things to come this summer.”
Matthew Centrowitz, like Simpson, returned to the United States with a medal from the 2011 World Championships--an impressive conclusion to an already standout season that included victories at the Pac-10 Championships, NCAA Championships, and the USA Outdoor Championships. Centrowitz’s bronze medal performance made him the first U.S. collegiate athlete in history to win a 1500m medal at the World Championships. He has decided to forgo his last year of NCAA eligibility at the University of Oregon. This will be his indoor track professional debut.
Morgan Uceny topped the 2011 women's world rankings at 1500m after a campaign that included a USA Outdoor Championship title, three Samsung Diamond League victories and the fastest time of the year at 1500m. Uceny recovered from a disappointing fall in the World Championship final and recorded a victory, overthe three 1500m medalists from Daegu, at the Brussels Samsung Diamond League meet. That win also earned her the overall Samsung Diamond League title for 2011. She will compete in the 1000m. The American women's record for 1000m is 2:34.19, set by Jennifer Toomey in 2004.
Galen Rupp, from Portland, OR, had one of the best annual campaigns ever by American distance runner in 2011. Beginning with an American Record indoors at 5000m (13:11.44), Rupp concluded his season by lowering the outdoor American Record at 10,000m (26:48:00). In his first attempt at the half-marathon distance, Rupp ran 60:30, making him the fastest American for the year at this distance as well. He will compete in the mile with training partner Mo Farah. “The oval at Reggie [Lewis Track] has always been good to me,” said Galen Rupp. “I’m ready to see what I can do indoors in the mile."
Mo Farah, the 2011 IAAF Men's World Champion at 5000m and ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News, is one of Great Britain’s brightest hopes for gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Farah, who also won silver at 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, owns six British national records on the track and roads, and is the reigning European Champion at 5000m and 10,000m. Last year’s 3000m race at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix showcased Farah and Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel. Farah suffered one of his only losses of the year as he was narrowly outkicked by Gebremeskel, 7:35.37 to 7:35.81.
The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix begins at 5:00 p.m. on February 4 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. Tickets and meet Information can be found online at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-849-8722.
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