Sports

Returning Falmouth Mile Champion to Face Off Against Record Holder

David Torrence will take on Jordan McNamara in the Falmouth Mile prior to the Falmouth Road Race this weekend.

While residents and runners in the Falmouth area are gearing up for the annual Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, another group of athletes are preparing for an annual tradition to take place the night before that event. 

The Falmouth Mile will take place Saturday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Falmouth High School track, and will comprise three races that begin with the Tommy Cochary High School Mile, followed by a wheelchair race and an elite race. 

The men's field will comprise a competition between 2012 champion David Torrence, who finished with at time of 3:55.79 last year, and Jordan McNamara, who holds the course record of 3:54.89 at Falmouth. 

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The opponents previously met at the Emsley Carr Mile, during which McNamara won with a time of 3:52.42. Garret Heath, who finished third last year, will join the two in the Falmouth Mile on Saturday. Heath is coming off his personal best time of 3:53.15 at the Emsley Carr Mile. 

Other returning runners include Jack Bolas, Matt Elliot, Will Leer and Craig Miller. Duncan Phillips will make his debut this year at the Falmouth Mile. 

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Meanwhile, contender Gabriele Anderson, who ran in 2012, 2011 and 2010 returns after a season full of personal bests, including 8:42.64 for second place at the IAAF Diamond League 3000m. Anderson will compete against Heather Kampf, who makes her Falmouth debut with a personal best mile time of 4:27.8. Kampf placed 6th at the USATF Championships 800m this year and was the 2012 Road Mile Champion. 

Other runners will include Sarah Bowman Brown, who finished 4th last year in 4:31.40, and Katie Mackey, who won the 2013 USATF Oxy High Performance 1500m with a time of 4:04.60 and finished 9th in the 1500m and 8th in the 5000m at the USATF Championships. '

Stephanie Garcia, Ashley Miller, Aisha Praught and Sara Vaughn return to compete while Heidi Gregson debuts at the race. 

Former mile world record holder Craig Blanchette and defending mile champion Krige Schabort lead the men’s wheelchair mile field. Last year’s mile champion, Jill Moore from the University of Illinois, will take on Jessica Galli Cloy who will be competing in her first Falmouth mile. Chelsea Crytzer will again compete in the women’s mile.  All wheelchair racers will compete the next day as well where the battle is expected to be between six-time champion Galli Cloy and defending champion, Moore.


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