Armory Collegiate Invitational 2005
High School and Open Events

     The high school events were astonishing: national leaders in almost every race, one national record and one near-national record. The boys 4x800 relay from Syosset NY battled Shaker HS of Latham, NY in the greatest indoor high school 4x8 ever. Syosset held onto win in 7:42.22, breaking the 5 year old national record of 7:42.67 held by York of Elmhurst Illinois. Shaker's time was 7:43.86, the third fastest high school time ever.
      In the junior girls 1,000 meters, little-known Karen Doswell of Richmond, VA defeated an outstanding field of four other runners including Janine Davis of North Arlington NJ . Doswell ran the second fastest time ever for a high school girl: 2:47.21. The current record-holder in the event, Ari Lambie, watched the race from the stands; now a collegian, she runs for Stanford.
“I was afraid they were going to break my record,” said Lambie to Armory Collegiate Invitational meet director Jack Pfeifer. Pfeifer received an email from Karen's school in Richmond, VA earler this week, praising the whole Armory experience: "Karen said she couldn't wait to come back to the Armory."
     In the boys 4x4, Newburgh Free Academy became the first team in the country this season to run under 3:20 -- running 3:17.82. Meanwhile, the girls 4x8 Boys and Girls battled Bayshore and won the race right at the finish as the first four teams were among the 10 fastest times in high school history.
     Middle High School College at Medgar Evers in Brooklyn (right) ran the third fastest time for the year in the US in the girls 800 relay, besting Eleanor Roosevelt and Truman, in 1:40.73.

     In the Open races, James Thie broke 4 minutes in the mile, running 3:59.30. (Below, he's being interviewed by Track & Field News correspondent Sieg Lindstrom.)