Pair of HS sub-4 Milers lead the field in Junior international Mile at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix
Multiple international medalists make for two of the deepest Mile races in high school history; NBC live broadcast from 4:00pm to 6:00pm EST
From NBIGP
BOSTON – For the first-time in U.S. high school history, two sub-4 minute Milers will race head-to-head in a high school-only indoor Mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Sat., Feb 4, organizers have announced.
After temporarily relocating to Staten Island due to COVID-19, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will make its debut at its new home, the TRACK at new balance, a new, state-of-the-art indoor track and field facility at New Balance’s world headquarters in Brighton, Mass.
Tickets for the event on Feb. 4, also a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold stop, are now on sale at nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-849-8722.
Making a first in U.S. high school athletics, Connor Burns and Simeon Birnbaum (pictured), both sub-4 minute Milers from 2022, will clash in the Boys International Junior Mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. Burns ran a lifetime best 3:58.83 last year to break legend Jim Ryun’s high school junior class record, while Birnbaum recorded a 3:59.51 clocking to win the Brooks PR Invitational Mile (high school-only).
The Girls’ International Junior Mile will feature a battle between accomplished U.S. high schoolers and European international talent. The field features European U18 gold and bronze medalist in the metric Mile Annie Mann (GBR) and Iris Downes (GBR) respectively, as well as last year’s New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Girls’ Mile winner and Massachusetts-native Ellie Shea and New Balance Outdoor Nationals champion Isabel Conde De Frankenberg.
The full list of International Junior Milers together with a list of their accolades follows:
BOYS
► Connor Burns (Ashland, MO, USA) – 2022 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year; 3:58.83 Mile PR
► Simeon Birnbaum (Rapid City, SD, USA) – South Dakota State HS record holder, 3200m; 3:59.91 Mile PR
► Devan Kipyego (Warwick, RI, USA) – 2022 New Balance Outdoor National champion, 2000mSC; 4:00.68 Mile PR
► Rocky Hansen (Hendersonville, NC, USA) – 2022 New Balance Outdoor Nationals champion, 2 Mile; 4:00.76 Mile PR
► Aaron Sahlman (Camarillo, CA, USA) – 2022 Nike Cross Country National champion; 4:01.34 Mile PR
► Corey Campbell (East Lothian, Scotland) – Age 15 world record holder, Mile – 4:05.77
► Kole Mathison (Carmel, IN, USA) – 2022 Champs Sports Cross Country champion; 4:04.82 1600m PR
► Caolan McFadden (Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland) – 2022 Irish National U16 Cross Country champion
► Isaac Rothwell (Cambridge, England) – Fastest British U18 1500m runner in 2022; 3:47.85 1500m PB
► Sean Cronin (Rush, Co. Dublin, Ireland) – 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival bronze medalist, 1500m
GIRLS
► Isabel Conde De Frankenberg (Cedar Park, TX, USA) – 2022 New Balance Outdoor Nationals champion, 800m; 4:38.55 Mile PR
► Tatum David (Olney, IL, USA) – 2022 Illinois Class 2A State champion, 1600m and 3200m; 4:42.15 Mile PR
► Iris Downes (Shrewsbury, England) – 2022 European U18 Championships bronze medalist, 800m; 4:23.02 1500m PR
► Ellie Shea (Belmont, MA, USA) – 2022 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Junior Girls’ Mile champion; 4:40.01 Mile PR
► Amelia Everett (Newton, MA, USA) – 2022 Massachusetts Gatorade Athlete of the Year; 4:49.31 Mile PR
► Clodagh Gill (Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland) – 4th, 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival, 3000m; 4:39.02 1500m PR
► Annie Mann (Romsey, England) – 2022 European U18 champion, 1500m; 4:19.63 1500m PR
► Jennifer O’Leary (Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, Ireland) – 2022 Irish U16 National Schools champion, 1500m; 4:30.17 1500m PR
► Lia Pugsley (Sterling, VA, USA) – 4-time Virginia State champion; 4:57.27 Mile PR
Those top athletes join the previously announced pros Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Grant Holloway, Trey Cunningham, Laura Muir, Ciara Mageean, Katie Moon, Katerina Stefanidi, Mariano García, Bryce Hoppel, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Shericka Jackson, Mikiah Brisco, Aleia Hobbs, Femke Bol and Woody Kincaid. Full fields for all events at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix are online now.
The previously announced Jake Wightman and Marvin Bracy-Williams have withdrawn.
The 2023 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be shown live on NBC from 4:00pm to 6:00pm EST on Saturday, Feb. 4 and is a founding member of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold. The series of the best indoor athletics events around the world awards overall tour winners $10,000 and a guaranteed spot at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Now in its 28th year, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix has played host to nine world records and 16 American records.
