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Elle Purrier St. Pierre Anchors World Best DMR Effort at The TRACK at New BalancePublished by
Women's Distance Medley Relay Lineup Of Heather MacLean, Kendell Ellis, Roisin Willis and Elle Purrier St. Pierre Goes Six Seconds Under Previous Best By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Friday's women's distance medley performance was the athletic equivalent of bashing a bottle of champagne over the bow for a ceremonial boat christening. The TRACK at New Balance is open and on Day One it has its first historically significant moment. Less than a month after winning a silver medal in the women's 3,000 meters at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia, Elle Purrier St. Pierre carried the baton for a spin around Boston's new state-of-the-art indoor facility and split 4:23.6 for 1,600 meters to take back the world best for New Balance. Heather MacLean (3:14.9), Kendell Ellis (52.0), Roisin Willis (2:03.3) all had a turn before handing off to Purrier St. Pierre, who got the baton ahead of record pace and then ran even further away from the pacing lights. PHOTOS by JOHN NEPOLITAN | RACE VIDEOS | RESULTS A lineup of Ella Donaghu, Raevyn Rogers, Sinclaire Johnson and Shannon Osika from Nike's Union Athletics Club ran 10:39.91 to enjoy a similar moment at new Podium in Spokane, Wash. That group had the world best for 63 days. MacLean ran more than second faster than Donaghu and Purrier St. Pierre ran five seconds faster than Osika. Willis, a Stanford-bound senior from Stevens Point WI, became perhaps the first high school athlete to ever be chased by world-record pacing lights and not give away an inch. Ellis filled in for Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin, who was part of a world best DMR in 2017 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, and earlier listed in the lineup for Friday's race. McLaughlin sat out due to a tender hamstring and signed autographs and held the finish tape instead. Another 65 men and women got a chance to run on the track in a series of mile races, which preceded the world best DMR attempt. The evening begins a weekend of running-related activities ahead of Monday's 126th Boston Marathon. More news |