Reebok Boston Indoor Games 2008

(Photo by George Ross's DIGITALphotoconcept LLC) When you have a collection of the finest prep milers in the country toeing the line together, good things will often occur. At the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on Saturday night, the girls’ and boys’ junior mile races proved no falsity it that statement. In perhaps one of the most exciting prep races to be held at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center, University City (CA) High senior Mac Fleet edged Westerly (RI) High senior Andrew Springer at the line with a nation-best time of 4 minutes, 9.06 seconds.

Luke Puskedra (UT) wins the Reebok Boston Indoor Games boys mile(Photo from ArmoryTrack.com)** Puskedra wins Reebok Boston Indoor Games elite boys high school mile in 4:08.77!!!   Results** Jillian Smith (NJ) wins Reebok Boston Indoor Games elite girls high school mile in 4:48.83 !!!   Results** Wayne Davis (NC) hurdled to the U.S. #2 all-time mark in the 55m hurdles Saturday, running 7.08!!!** Chanelle Price (PA) runs U.S. #1 at 800m with 2:07.30 at the Jersey City Armory Meet!!!The weekend started off with a bang Friday night, as Wayne Davis (NC) posted the U.S. #4 all-time  (1/25 - 1/27) mark in the 55m hurdles, running 7.12 in the prelims at the Virginia Tech Invitational.  Keeping checking back as we provide you fantastic coverage of this weekend's top invitationals. Boys Results- Wayne Davis (NC): Hurdles US#2 all-time with 7.08 in 55m hurdles- Luke Puskedra (UT): Wins Reebok Boston mile in U.S.#1 4:08.77- Dan Kwiatkowski (PA): Throws U.S.#1 in shot with a heave of 63'- Andrew Perkins (WI): Runs 1:19.91 in season opener at WI Elite- Bethel (VA): Earn U.S.#1 in 4x400m relay with 3:19.70 at VA Tech - Javell Bullard (VA): Sprints to U.S.#1 at 300m in 33.97 in VA- Dylan Ferris (NC): Runs 1:54.74 (800m) & 4:16.04 (mile) in VA- David Wilson (VA): Leaps 49-06 in TJ at Virginia Tech for U.S.#1Girls Results- Jillian Smith (NJ): Wins Reebok Boston mile in U.S. #1 4:48.83- Chanelle Price (PA): Runs U.S.#1 in 800m with 2:07.30 in NJ - Eleanor Roosevelt (MD): Earn U.S.#1 in 4x4 with 3:48.54 in VA - Jasmin Stowers (SC): Hurdles to U.S.#4 in 55m hurdles at Eastern- Jacinda Evans (NC): Leaps 19-01 to win LJ at Eastern Challenge- Tasha Stanley (MD): Runs U.S.#2 in 500m with 1:12.81 at VA Tech - Nyosha Bryant (NC): Runs 7.10 in 55m dash in prelims at VA Tech- Emily Vannoy (MD): Throws shot put 45-11, a U.S. top ten mark

Going up against the best high school distance runners in the nation, including four of the top five at Foot Locker CC Nationals, Joseph Franklin finished in eigth place out of eleven with a time of 4:14.82 for the full mile. He finished ahead of Footlocker runner-up Chris Derrick, but certainly not the kind of finish he was hoping for. Luke Puskedra (Utah) took the race out hard and only Colby Lowe (Texas) went with him. The difference in the race was pretty much decided there, as the two kept their lead the entire race. Lowe would challenge with 800 meters go to and took the lead for about a lap. With 600 meters to go Puskedra took it back and the lead changed several times before Puskedra took the lead for good in the last 100 meters. Puskedra finished in 4:08.77 to Lowe's 4:08.99. Kyle Merber of New York was third in 4:12.42. Race Summary & Photos by ArmoryTrack, our New York affiliate More Meet Coverage & Results

By Christopher Hunt BOSTON – Maybe it was because she had been there before or because she had seen her teammate do it before. But Southern Regional (N.J.) junior Jillian Smith’s composure never deserted her. She never lost her poise.  FULL ARTICLE HERE

Joe Franklin, along with his father and Coach Sumner, arrived in Boston on Friday. There they were warmly greeted by Reebok with lots of branded materials, which were very well received, especially the custom-made shoes with "Franklin" printed on them. The Godby senior will face off tomorrow against perhaps his toughest challenge yet, the High School Mile race at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. That field will include four of the top five boys from Foot Locker Nationals last month: Michael Fout, Chris Derrick, Colby Lowe, and Luke Puskedra. Many of you have been following Franklin lately in his daily blogs with us. He has extraordinary plans for himself this spring in the 1600/Mile... 4:00 to be exact. It's early in the season yet and this race is indoors, but we should see an extremely competitive and fast race as many of these guys kick the dust off of their track spikes for the first time this year. The race will go off at 7:15PM Eastern. The Girls race is an hour earlier, but involves no Floridians. Check out this article for photos of the boys and girls fields, along with a look at some of the gear the athletes got. Be sure to read the latest update to Joe's blog as well. Good luck tonight, Joe!

VIDEO: Dan Kwiatkowski's 63' Shot Put, courtesy of Erie McDowell PHOTOS: Photo Gallery by Carl Strub from the 1/25 TSTCA Indoor Meet #4 @ SRU PHOTOS: Photo Gallery by Don Rich from the 1/25 TSTCA Indoor Meet #4 @ SRU 55m: Taelor Fowler (Penn Hills) 7.2 / Julie Kolodziej (Bethel Park) 7.3 / Cambria Jones (Woodland Hills) 7.1 On Sunday at the Jersey City Armory USATF Developmental Meet in NJ, Chanelle Price took care of some USATF business – making the qualifying standard for the late-February USATF Championships – with a 2:07.3 800. Three other Philly athletes made their state qualifiers at the same meet. Syeeda Gee, Engineering & Science, ran a 5:20.9 1600. Tori Perri, Mount Saint Joseph, went 5:23.1. And Acoya Goines, Engineering & Science, ran 1:00.6 for 400. On Saturday in the semi-finals of the Colgate Women's Games at Pratt Institute in New York, Chanelle Price added another record run to her gathering prep legacy, taking down an 18-year-old record held by Shola Lynch. Price's 2:09.62 eclipsed the mark of 2:09.73 run by Lynch in 1986. On Friday night at Slippery Rock University in the TSTCA Indoor Meet #4, emerging shot put star Dan Kwiatkowski of Erie McDowell, hit five official throws ovewr 60', with the 5th of the series his best, a PR and US#1 63'. In the evening's opening event, the 3000, Central Cambria's Carly Seymour ran a US#12 10:14.4 after an opening mile of 5:20. Close on her heels for the first half of the race was Latrobe's Natalie Bower, who in running her first-ever 3000, went 10:33.2. In the 55's, Cambria Jones of Woodland Hills, ran 7.1, while a 6.4 was posted by Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Tristin Stagger. On Thursday Night at the Race at the Armory in New York, Alex Brasington ran a 10:39.3 3000. On Thursday, Ridley's Kevin Wilbank wins both the 60m (6.8) and 200m (22.7) races at the Delco Indoor Boys Championships. Steve Werner of Cardinal O'hara won the 60m Hurdles in 8.2 and took 3rd in the 200m with a time of 23.1. Penncrest's Anthony Batch wins the 400m in 51.4 and takes second in the 200m (23.0). On Thursday Night at the Races at the Armory in New York, Alex Brasington ran a 10:39.3 3000. Terence Lee, Engineering & Science, posted an 8:51.6, just off his PA#2 8:50 from earlier thsi season. And Patrick DeSamato, Friends' Central, ran 9:03.3, now PA#8.    

He first told the world about his goal in cross country. At the state meet, as long time commentator Ricky Quintana asked him about his plans for the spring, his eyes lit up. "All great miler's goal is to break four... and I'm going to go after that (this spring)" While most runners who have run competitively in the mile may dream of one day running a four minute mile, few will actually say it out loud. Fewer have the courage to announce it to the world, especially attached with a timeframe. But that's exactly what Joe did. Some say he'll get there, some balk. But whether he is successful in his quest or not, it will sure be an exciting trip, and we plan to take you on the ride with him this spring. Starting today we will get as close to walking on Joe's shoes as we can, as he tells us of the trials and tribulations, training and dedication, careful planning and emotions that he experiences in his quest. In his first entries today, Joe talks about the training he is doing this week leading up to his January 26 appearance at the Boston Indoor Games. Enjoy!

 Many of the top distance runners in the U.S. take to the track at the Reggie Lewis Center at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games this Saturday.  The final elite boys and girls mile fields have been announced and the meet's website has posted up some fun features on the high school races.  It should be quite a weekend in Boston!

 The Reebok Boston Indoor Games officially announced their field for the Girls' Junior Invitational Mile on January 26.  With the boys' announcement coming a week and a half ago, the girl's field proves to be equally as strong.  What a weekend it will be in Boston and MileSplit will be there to cover all the action!Girls' Junior Invitational Mile- Caitlin Lane (NY): NY '07 state 1500m champion, 4-time qualifier- Jillian Smith (NJ): Boston Indoor Girls' Elite Mile runner-up in '07- Tori Pennings (NY): Member of DMR runner-up squad at NON in 2007- Keely Maguire (MA): 2007 New England 1600 meter champion- Mary Kate Champagne (NY): 3rd place in '07 NON two-mile run- Kristin Reese (NY): Member of 4x800m national champ. relay team- Sarah McCurdy (NY): 2007 NSIC 800 meter champion- Nicole Benson (IL): 2007 Illinois State cross country champion- Brianna Welch (NY): NY state class record-holder at 1000m- Jessica Parry (Canada): Canadian Youth record holder at 800 meters- Bridget Dahlberg (MA): 4th place in '07 NSIC mile

  Global Athletics officially announced today the elite boys mile field for the Boston Indoor Games on January 26.  The mile field may very well be the best boys mile field assembled during the indoor track season, with four of the top five finishers at Foot Locker Nationals participating and four of the top six returnees in the event from last spring.  Elite Boys Mile Field - Mike Fout (IN) - Foot Locker National champion - Charles White (CO) - 2007 Indoor National Mile champ - Luke Puskedra (UT) - Fifth place FLN finisher - Colby Lowe (TX) - Fourth place FLN finisher - Chris Derrick (IL) - Second place FLN finisher - Mac Fleet (CA) - Top junior returnee; 4:08.09c as soph. - Joseph Franklin (FL) - 4:07.36 1600m in 2007 - Cory Leslie (OH) - 7th at USATF Juniors in 2007; 4:09.47c mile - C.J. Brown (TX) - FLN qualifier in 2007 as a junior - Sintayehu Taye (MA) - 2007 Indoor National Mile runner-up

 Global Athletics officially announced today the elite boys mile field for the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on January 26.  The mile field may very well be the best boys mile field assembled during the indoor track season, with four of the top five finishers at Foot Locker Nationals participating and four of the top six returnees in the event from last spring.  Elite Boys Mile Field- Mike Fout (IN) - Foot Locker National champion- Charles White (CO) - 2007 Indoor National Mile champ- Luke Puskedra (UT) - Fifth place FLN finisher- Colby Lowe (TX) - Fourth place FLN finisher- Chris Derrick (IL) - Second place FLN finisher- Mac Fleet (CA) - Top junior returnee; 4:08.09c as soph.- Joseph Franklin (FL) - 4:07.36 1600m in 2007- Cory Leslie (OH) - 7th at USATF Juniors in 2007; 4:09.47c mile- C.J. Brown (TX) - FLN qualifier in 2007 as a junior- Sintayehu Taye (MA) - 2007 Indoor National Mile runner-up