Edwards Sifuentes, who won last year in 4:32.45 will have to outrun the 2008 U.S. Olympian and 2009 Falmouth Mile champion Erin Donohue from Haddonfield, N.J. who beat Edwards in 4:27.91. Donohue’s time was the fastest women’s mile in the world for 2009. Edward’s time of 4:29.33 was the fifth best in the world.
Other likely challenges should be from Stephanie Garcia, who ran for the University of Virginia and was fourth at recent USA Championships in the steeplechase, and has run a 4:34 relay anchor on a Virginia distance medley relay; Maggie Infield, Georgetown, has run a 4:34 relay anchor and is now completing her first year of medical studies; and Nichole Schappert, Villanova, is a two-time NCAA championships winner and owns a personal best 4:35.97 mile. Additional competitors and their 1500 meter times include – Sara Vaughn, University of Colorado, 4:08.74; University of California Riverside graduate, Brenda Martinez, 4:39.58; Meghan Peyton, University of Iowa, 4:40.5, and Erin Koch, American University, 4:46.19. The women’s event record of 4:25.27 was set by Suzy Favor Hamilton in 2002.
The men’s event has its largest field to date with 12 competititors. Those to watch are the 2009 Falmouth winner Will Leer, Oregon Track Club, who ran 3:57.28. Will was fifth in the USA Championships 1500 meters in Eugene. Adrian Blincoe, who ran for Villanova, was a 2008 New Zealand Olympian, and has run a 3:54.40, will be going to Daegu to represent the Kiwi’s in the 5000 meters. Two other challengers are Irishman and Florida State graduate, Ciaran O’Lionaird, who has been tearing up the 1500 meters in Europe, recently dropping his personal best by four seconds to 3:34.00, and A.J. Acosta, Oregon, who has run 3:53.76 and was eleventh at the recent USA Championships 1500. This is the first time Acosta has run on the East Coast.
The remaining athletes all have run sub-four minute miles at various times in their careers. They include – Liam Boylan-Pett, Columbia University, 3:59.40; Jake Bolas, Wisconsin, 3:58.4; Ben Bruce, Oregon Track Club, who last week ran the second-fastest American time in the steeplechase this year in 8:19.10; John Jefferson, Indiana, who ran 3:56.82 in the 2008 Falmouth mile; Jordan McNamara, Oregon, whose best is 3:56.82, and was tenth in the USA Championships 1500, and Craig Miller, Wisconsin, whose best is 3:58.41. Rob Novak, Seton Hall, who ran 3:59.70 and Jeff See, Ohio State, who ran 3:58.15 round out the field. The men’s event record is 3:56.45 set by Jon Rankin in 2008.
The winner of the New Balance Falmouth Mile takes home $ 2000, while the runner-up receives $ 1000, with $ 500 for third and $ 250 for fourth. If the men’s winner runs sub-4:00 and women’s winner runs below 4:33 they pocket another $ 1000. Any other men or women under the standard will be awarded $ 500.
This year marks the second edition of New Balance Falmouth Scholastic Mile. Last year, the girls’ and boys’ competitions featured top runners on Cape Cod and this year it has been expanded to feature top Bay State high school talent. Each high school athlete will outfitted in New Balance apparel.
Girls’ Scholastic Mile – 6:00pm
RECORD – 5:27.58, Anna Gannett, Sandwich (MA), 2010
Name, Town
Hannah Alpert, Needham
Gianna Cacciatore, Whitman
Lauren Columbare, Mansfield
Jill Corcoran, Weymouth
Alex Giese, Franklin
Madison Granger, Belchertown
Katie Jessee, Concord
Abigail Pohl, Weston
Kelsey Whitaker, Kingston
Laura Williamson, Princeton
Boys’ Scholastic Mile – 6:15pm
RECORD – 4:28.43, Max Darrah, Mashpee (MA), 2010
Brendan Adams, Pembroke
Wesley Gallagher, Pembroke
Mike Giardina, Lowell
Alex Jagelsky, Rutland
Andrew Hood, Franklin
Joel Hubbard, Marshfield
Brendan Robertson, Westborough
Stephen Sollowin, Weymouth
James Sullivan, Acton
Kevin Thomas, Marshfield
Elite Women’s Mile – 6:30pm
RECORD – 4:25.27, Suzy Favor Hamilton (WI), 2002
Name Age City, State or Country Mile Time (or other timed noted)
Meghan Armstrong Peyton 25 Richfield, MN, 4:40.5
Erin Donohue 25 Hadden, NJ, 4:26.48
Stephanie Garcia 23 South Riding, VA, 4:45.73
Maggie Infeld 25 Washington, DC, 4:35.37
Erin Koch 23 Perkasle, PA, 4:46.19
Brenda Martinez 23 Alamosa, CO, 4:39.58
Nicole Schappert 28 Piscataway, NJ, 4:35.97
Nicole (Edwards) Sifuentes 25 Canada, 4:29.33
Sara Vaughn 25 Beverton, OR, 4:08.74 (1500m)
Elite Men’s Mile – 6:45pm
RECORD – 3:56.45, Jon Rankin (CA), 2008
Name Age City, State or Country Mile Time (or other timed noted)
AJ Acosta 23 Oceanside, CA, 3:53.76
Adrian Blincoe 31 New Zealand, 3:54.40
Jack Bolas 23 Chapel Hill, NC, 3:58.4
Liam Boylan-Pett 25 New York, NY, 3:59.40
Ben Bruce 28 Eugene, OR, 8:19.10 (3000m steeplechase)
John Jefferson 28 Delray Beach, FL, 3:56.82
Will Leer 26 Ann Arbor, MI, 3:55.66
Jordan McNamara 24 Auburn, WA, 3:56.82
Craig Miller 24 Madison, WI, 3:58.41
Rob Novak 25 West Orange, NJ, 3:59.70
Ciaran O’Lionaird 23 Ireland, 3:57.99
Jeff See 25 Middletown, OH, 3:58.15
