CENTROWITZ PUTS ARMORY TRACK THROUGH ITS PACES
By David Monti
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

NEW YORK (02-Jan) -- World 1500m bronze medalist Matthew Centrowitz paid a visit to the Armory track here in Upper Manhattan this morning with his father Matt and sister Lauren.  The Centrowitz family first sat down for a video interview to be released tomorrow on AmroryTrack.com, then hit the 200-meter banked Mondo track for an interval session.

Speaking to the Armory's house announcer, Ian Brooks, Centrowitz talked about his breakthrough 2011 season where he won the PAC-10, NCAA and USA 1500m titles, before taking the bronze medal in Daegu.  In his world championships final, he came from sixth to third position in the final 100 meters, covering the last lap in a blistering 51.6 seconds.

"I just kept thinking, keep digging down, keep digging down; they're coming back a little bit," Centrowitz said recalling the last 150 meters.  He continued: "I was in disbelief, really.  I couldn't believe that (I had finished third).  I had to look up to make sure that no one passed me in the last second before I started celebrating fourth place."

Centrowitz, 22, who recently signed a professional management contract with PACE Sports Management, said he didn't have much time to celebrate his victory in Daegu.

"I had an early flight the next morning, so I didn't get much sleep, obviously," he explained.  "We went to a Korean barbeque nearby; it was actually the first time I ate outside the buffet we were given every day."

Before hitting the track, where Matt Centrowitz, Sr. timed both his son and daughter during their workouts, Centrowitz talked about how his father never pushed him into the sport, and how he only made the junior varsity soccer team in high school before taking his running seriously.  He also talked about his upcoming season.

"I've already committed to the Boston Indoor Games (now called the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, on Feb. 4),"  he said.  "I've raced there a few times and liked everything about it.  I'd like to come and race Millrose (at the Armory on Feb. 11).  That would be awesome."  He added: "After those few races we'll take it one race at a time to see if USA Indoors works out.  It's a World Indoor year and that would be exciting."

ENDS