By Justin Gaymon // Photo by John Nepolitan

The 2016 New Balance Games take place on January 22-23. Check out the meet's live webcast information HERE. 

Womens and Mens Miles

Olympian Kim Conley will make her return to the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory to head the New Balance Games womens mile. She split 4:05.70 for 1,500m on her way to a 4:24.54 mile victory at the 2014 New Balance Games. She then ran 8:48.35 to win the 3,000m at the NYRR Millrose Games later that year. All three of those times are Armory facility records.  

The womens mile will also feature Stephanie Garcia, who won the mile steeplechase during the 2013 New Balance Games, along with 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships bronze medalist in the 1,500m, Cory McGee and 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist in the 3,000m steeplechase, Genevieve Lalonde.

John Travers of Ireland and Chris Gowell of Wales traveled to NYC to finish 1-2 in the mens mile during last year’s New Balance Games (3:59.62 and 4:00.13). The two are the favorites for this year’s mile and it will be interesting to see how they finish on Saturday.

Mens 300m

Lalonde Gordon has been unbeatable in 300m races at The Armory. The Trinidadian, who currently lives in Queens, won the 300m at the 2014 NYRR Millrose Games, as well as last year’s New Balance Games and Armory Track Invitational. His personal best of 32.47 is the current Armory facility record. He won bronze medals in the 400m and 4x400m relay at the 2012 Olympics and will begin his campaign for this year’s Olympics at The Armory.

Girls 500m

This will definitely be one of the most exciting races of the meet with Sammy Watson, Sarah Walker and Amanda Crawford -- three of the fastest girls in the country -- facing off at a race distance that is a bit unfamiliar to all of them. 

2015 was a phenomenal year for Watson, who ran a blazing 52.69 to win New York State Outdoor Championships in the 400m and 2:03.54 to win World Youth Championships in the 800m. The Rush-Henrietta Sperry star enters this meet as the country’s fastest 400m and 600m runner after recording times of 54.66 and 1:31.38 earlier this month. 

Walker was right behind Watson during last June's New Balance Nationals Outdoor in the 800m, where she placed second with 2:07.72 to Watson’s 2:07.02. Walker finished her season with a best of 2:03.70 (#3 all-time in Pennsylvania).

Paul Robeson’s Amanda Crawford has been on a roll this year, running the country’s second fastest 300m and 600m in 38.80 and 1:33.31. Crawford has also been instrumental in Paul Robeson’s relay success, as the team is currently US #1 in the 4x200m and 4x400m relays.

Girls Weight Throw

Monae Cooper of New Rochelle has won five of her six weight throw competitions this year, including the NYRR Millrose Games Trials with 55-5 (US #2). She’ll go up against Jessica Molina of Westwood NJ, who was second at the NYRR Millrose Games Trials with 54-4.75.  

Boys and Girls Miles

These two races will serve as the last qualifiers for the New Balance High School Miles at the 109th NYRR Millrose Games onFebruary 20. 

Olivia Sargent of Pennsbury, PA is top seeded among the girls with an indoor mile personal best of 4:51.02, which she ran to take second at last year’s NYRR Millrose Games. 

North Rockland’s Katelyn Tuohy is only in eighth grade, but will be exciting to watch here. She broke several seventh grade state records last season including the 1,500m with 4:36.77 and Mary Cain’s outdoor mile record with 4:58.40. 

Nick Dahl of Germantown Academy PA took third in the New Balance Nationals Outdoor 2-mile last June with 9:01.81. He’ll face tough competition from a boys mile field that includes Andrew Hally, who won his second ever 2 mile during the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games with 9:19.89. 

Boys 300m

Downingtown West PA's Josh McLemore is the top guy heading into this weekend’s boys 300m. He currently has the US #2 time in the event with 34.32 and ran 48.50 in the 400m for second place at the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games.

Boys 2 Mile

Saratoga Springs senior Aidan Tooker, a Syracuse recruit, began this season on a very strong note, winning December’s AT&T Hall of Fame Invitational in 4:09.28. He finished third in this race last year with 4:17.42 and is top seeded this year. He also ran 8:54.22 in the 3,200m at the Freedom Games at Ocean Breeze.