Nicole Edwards Sifuentes to Defend Women’s Title New Balance Falmouth Mile – The best of Massachusetts High School Runners to complete the Scholastic Mile

Falmouth, Mass. –  Defending mile Champion Nicole Edwards Sifuentes, who ran for Michigan, will face a tough challenge from the best field of female milers ever gathered at Falmouth.   The 16^th Annual New Balance Falmouth Mile will be held on Saturday evening, Aug. 13 at the Falmouth High School James Kalperis Track. 

The event, held in conjunction with the New Balance Falmouth Road Race the next day, is actually two events – one for invited world-class milers and the other for Massachusetts high school athletes. 

Edwards, who won last year in 4:32.45 will have to outrun the 2008 US Olympian and 2009 Falmouth 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.

The biggest challenge for Donohue and Sifuentes could come from Notre Dame graduate.

Other likely challenges could come from Stephanie Garcia, who ran for the University of Virginia and was fourth at U.S. 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 record of 4:25.27 was set by Suzie Favor-Hamilton in 2002.

The men's event has its largest field to date with twelve competititors.  Those to watch are the 2009 Falmouth winner Will Leer, Oregon Track Club, who ran 3:57.28.   Will was fifth in the U.S. 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 5,000 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 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 below 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.

Jeff See 25 Middletown, Ohio 3:58.15

Awards Ceremony 7:00 p.m.

Elite Mile Prize Purse – Male & Female

1. $2,000
2. $1,000
3. $500
4. $250

Incentive:  $1000 Male winner under:  4:00.00 Female winner under:  4:33.00Incentive:  $500 Male finishers under:  4:00.00 Female finishers under:  4:33.00

In addition to top-level mile performances, spectators will be treated to entertainment and will be eligible raffle prizes which will be drawn between races and the grand prize raffe that will be drawn at 7:00 p.m.  Winners must be present at the mile to claim their prize. The Kalperis Track is a Mondo surface and recognized as one of the fastest in the world.

Visit the New Balance Falmouth Mile web site https://www.falmouthroadrace.com/mile or visit the New Balance Falmouth Mile booth at the New Balance Falmouth Road Race Expo at the Falmouth High School Field House, 874 Gifford Street, Falmouth on Friday, Aug. 12 or Saturday, Aug. 13.

Sue Smith
New Balance Falmouth Road Race