High school record holder Gary Martin to finish prep career in Philly

 Earlier this year, Gary Martin captured the boys’ mile at The Armory during the New Balance Nationals Indoor high school championship. The sub-4 miler will look to duplicate that feat in June at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.  Photos by John Nepolitan.

NEW YORK, NY, May 26, 2022 – Following five national records established at the New Balance Nationals Indoor high school track & field meet in March at The Armory in New York City, all eyes now focus on famed Franklin Field in Philadelphia for the upcoming New Balance Nationals Outdoor (NBNO).

Expect more records to be broken as the NBNO takes place from June 16th-19th at the University of Pennsylvania’s historic running venue. The Armory Foundation and its team will help manage this one-of-a-kind championship experience for all participants.

“Judging from the high-level performances and excitement at the New Balance Nationals Indoor, these high school athletes, their families and friends will bring their best efforts while enjoying all that New Balance, The Armory and Franklin Field can offer,” said Armory Foundation Co-President Jonathan Schindel.

With a storied 125-year history of hosting elite track and field meets, Franklin Field offers a unique experience for high school athletes. Franklin Field is the oldest two-tiered stadium in the country and has played host to presidential speeches, professional football games, and college championships. Each April, the venue hosts the historic Penn Relays Carnival, with thousands of athletes and spectators in attendance.

Athlete registration is open for NBNO, and the meet is filling up fast. One of the biggest names to watch for will be Gary Martin (Archbishop Wood, PA). At the Pennsylvania Catholic League Championships on May 14th, Martin ran a 3:57.98 mile completely solo, without the aid of a pacer. Not only did Martin become just the 14th high school athlete to break the four-minute barrier, but his mark is the fastest mile ever recorded in HS-only competition. The previous record was held by the legendary Jim Ryun, which had stood since 1965.

“To break the four-minute mile barrier is truly incredible and it’s surreal to see my name alongside so many greats, but I think what’s even more exciting is that there’s still a month left in the season,” said Martin, who will run for the University of Virginia in the fall. “I can’t wait to keep chasing history and attempting to bring down that mile PR, especially at New Balance Nationals. It’ll be a great feeling to get to wrap up my high school career in front of a home crowd at Franklin Field.”

Martin took home top honors in the mile at New Balance Nationals Indoor, running 4:02.34 to win a thrilling race where the top four competitors all ran under 4:03. Gavin Sherry (Conard, CT) placed fourth in that race after winning the NBNI two-mile title earlier in the meet, and he is confirmed for the rematch against Martin. Other elite milers who will be racing in Philadelphia include Christopher Caudillo (Clovis, CA), Shane Brosnan (Union Catholic, NJ), and Myles Hogan (Fordham Prep, NY).

High school athletes and fans won’t want to miss this thrilling conclusion to the outdoor track & field season, featuring the very best runners, jumpers, and throwers nationwide. Visit https://www.nbnationalsout.com/ for meet information, event standards, registration, and other important information.

The 2022 NBNO will be broadcast live from Franklin Field, Thursday through Sunday, June 16-19 on NBNationals.com. The free broadcast will be focused on running events.

For more information on all Armory Track events go to www.armorytrack.com and www.armory.nyc. Follow The Armory on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @armorynyc.

About New Balance

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About The Armory Foundation 

The Armory Foundation is a New York City non-profit institution, with the mission of "Keeping Kids on Track." Each season The Armory – the proud home of the Millrose Games – hosts more than 100 track & field meets and welcomes more than 220,000 athlete visits. Among its many youth sports and educational programs, including the acclaimed Armory College Prep program, The Armory runs the leading collegiate indoor track meets with the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge and the HBCU Showcase, and hosts the largest high school indoor track meets with this past season’s 26th U. S. Air Force Hispanic Games, The New Balance Games, New Balance Nationals Indoor, the Coaches Hall of Fame Invitational and Marine Corps Holiday Classic. New York Road Runners is a proud sponsor of all athletic events at The Armory. The Armory runs the CUIMC Team Relay Marathon presented by New York Road Runners, which is the world’s largest indoor marathon relay. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and dozens of very large education-focused events. For more: Please visit Armory.NYC and ArmoryTrack.com.