2014 Top 10 Moments At The Armory (So Far)
By Chris Lotsbom, ArmoryTrack.com

The calendar has now turned to March and the indoor track and field season's conclusion is beginning to appear on the horizon. Let's take a look back at some of the most impressive performances at The New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory so far this year. 

- The NYRR Millrose Games professional races: It's near impossible to single out one or two highlights from the NYRR Millrose Games. Records fell and dramatic races played out on both the men's and women's sides. The highlight reel was endless: Bernard Lagat's American record 2000 meters, Mary Cain's scintillating win in the NYRR Wanamaker Women's Mile, Will Leer's come-from-behind kick in the NYRR Wanamaker Mile, and Kim Conley's facility record in the 3000 were standouts. Who could forget hometown heroes Lalonde Gordon (Queens) winning the 300 meters and Neptune, New Jersey's Ajee' Wilson taking the 800? The night culminated with the final race of miler Alan Webb's career, a fitting tribute to the first indoor sub-four minute miler in high school history.

- Corey Crawford Sets NCAA #1 Long Jump: At the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championships, Rutgers junior Corey Crawford had a meet to remember. Kicking off the competition, the Oakland, New Jersey native soared 26 feet, 11.75 inches, the third-best mark in the world this year and tied for the best jump by an American in 2014. Crawford is the NCAA long jump leader by nine inches, and earned a congratulations from Olympic legend Carl Lewis. A day later, Crawford returned to The Armory's infield and took second in the high jump. Even more impressive, it was the first time Crawford was high jumping since his high school days.

- Locals Set Big East Championship Records: Villanova's Emily Lipari and Georgetown's Sabrina Southerland each set a meet record on the final day of the Big East Championships, returning to their home track in style. Lipari, a graduate of Roslyn High on Long Island, and Southerland, an alumna of Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens, timed 2:43.69 for 1000 meters and 2:04.85 for 800 meters, respectively, re-writing the record books in front of their hometown fans.

"I could not imagine setting the record anywhere else. This is my home track so I'm happy I did it here," said Southerland, who will race the 800 at the NCAA Championships.

- Alexa Efraimson Times 2nd Fastest High School Mile of All-Time: When Alexa Efraimson took the track for the NYRR Wanamaker Women's Mile at the NYRR Millrose Games, she knew she was in good shape. Running amidst a pack of professionals and top collegians, the high school junior from Camas, Wash. held her own, finishing sixth overall in 4:32.15 -- the second fastest prep time only behind Mary Cain.

"Racing against these professionals, it's such a great opportunity," Efraimson said. She'll return to The Armory for New Balance Nationals Indoor.

- Mary Cain Makes Professional Debut at NYC Gotham Cup: On the same day that The New Balance Track & Field Center celebrated 100 years of track and field at The Armory, Nike Oregon Project star and Bronxville, N.Y. native Mary Cain made her professional debut. Racing the 500 meters and 800, Cain finished second (1:12.43) and first (2:08.51), respectively. Using the races as workouts for the indoor season to come, Cain would ultimately go on to win the NYRR Wanamaker Women's mile and a National title for 1500 meters at the USA Indoor Championships.

- Eastern States Championship Boys 400m: In one of the final races of the Eastern States Championships, the boys 400 saw a fierce battle between Zyaire Clemes (Trenton Central, NJ), Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ), and Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, NY). Finishing 1-2-3, Clemes, McLaughlin, and Benjamin recorded the top three high school times in the USA -- 47.13, 47.30 and 47.31. The race served as just a preview of what's to come later this month at New Balance Nationals Indoor.  a fierce battle between Zyaire Clemes (Trenton Central, NJ), Taylor Mclaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ), and Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, NY). Finishing 1-2-3, Clemes, Mclaughlin, and Benjamin recorded the top three high school times in the USA -- 47.13, 47.30, 47.31. The race served as just a preview of what's to come later this month at New Balance Nationals Indoor.  

- Orji's Jump Dominance: Mount Olive, New Jersey senior Keturah Orji has dominated The Armory's runway this year, recording national leading marks in the triple jump and long jump. At the New Balance Games in January, Orji unleashed her US#1 long jump of 20-08.75. Just a week and a half later at The Varsity Classic, she set the second-best triple jump in prep history at 44-00.00. Orji's triple jump mark is nearly four feet farther than the next best high schooler in America.

- NYRR Night at the Races: For four nights this season, hundreds took to the track for the NYRR Night at the Races series. Racing anywhere from 800 meters to 5000m, athletes of all abilities had fun and ran fast -- including some masters aces. Kathryn Martin shaved 15 seconds from the Women's Masters 60-65 age-group World Record for the mile, clocking a blistering 5:46.85 on February 27. John Trautmann, a 1992 Olympian, routinely finished high up in all the results -- including a mile win at the final meet in 4:21.40.

- Olivia Baker and Columbia's Dominance: Columbia High School in New Jersey frequently come to The Armory and always puts on a show. This year, Columbia has set numerous US#1 marks: Olivia Baker's 1:30.58 600 meters at the Armory Collegiate Invitational, 1:38.99 4x200m relay and 3:46.42 4x400m relay at the NYRR Millrose Games, as well as their national leading 9:05.40 4x800m relay at the Eastern States Championship. Columbia's famously fast team has torn up the track this season.

- Desiree Freier 14'00.00" Clearance: At the NYRR Millrose Games, Texan Desiree Freier cleared 14 feet, a performance that drew a standing ovation from The Armory's crowd. Competing against some of America's best vaulters in the USA Junior Pole Vault, Freier was the only one over 13-05.25. She continued on to clear 14', a national leading mark by 5.5 inches.

Many more amazing performances are sure to come in March, the final month of the indoor track and field season at The Armory! 

Photo/Ross Dettman for ArmoryTrack