Rupp is Surprise Entry in New Balance Indoor GP

 

Rupp is Surprise Entry in New Balance Indoor GP

Gives Field for Men’s Mile Three Olympic Medalists

 

BOSTON, Mass. (Feb. 3, 2014)Galen Rupp, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist at 10,000 meters and seven-time U.S Champion who holds four American Records, is a late addition to the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, organizers have announced.

The 19th -annual New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will take place on Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College, beginning at 3 p.m. The all-star event will feature 39 Olympic or World Championships medalists, including six Olympic Champions and 12 World Champions.

A few tickets still remain at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-849-8722.

Rupp, 27, is on fire this season, having already set U.S. indoor records at 5000 meters (13:01.26) and 2 Miles (8:07.41) on the track at Boston University, less than three miles away.

“I am excited to run the mile in Boston on Saturday,” said Rupp. “It will be my third time to run in Boston this year. After my American Indoor Records in the 5000 meters and 2 Miles my coach, Alberto Salazar, and I decided that a competitive mile race would be the best preparation for the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque on Feb. 22 and the IAAF World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Poland on March 7.”

Rupp joins a mile field that already included the last two Olympic silver medalists at 1500 meters, Leo Manzano of the U.S. and Nick Willis of New Zealand, and 2008 Olympic flag-bearer Lopez Lomong, who held the U.S. mark for 5000 meters indoors until Rupp’s recent record-breaking run.

Rupp and Lomong ran the two fastest indoor miles in the world last year: Rupp at Boston University (3:50.92) and Lomong in winning the Wanamaker Mile at the NYRR Millrose Games (3:51.21).

Withdrawing from the mile is Matthew Centrowitz.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, which has played host to six World Records and 10 American Records in its first 18 years, is the first stop in the 2014 Indoor USATF Championship Series.