Three years into its move from Madison Square Garden up to the Armory, the NYRR Millrose Games’ transition continues, from an event at the World’s Greatest Arena to a track meet for hardcore fans. But no matter how it changes, it’s still about the distance races — and local favorites Bernard Lagat and Mary Cain will be the headliners.
There were more records set last year than in any other in Millrose history, and more figure to go down Saturday at the New Balance Track & Field Center (3 p.m., NBC Sports). The fast track has drawn a strong field in the sprints and jumps, but the spotlight will be on Lagat and Cain, representing opposite ends of the age spectrum.
At 39, Lagat is at the tail end of his career. He has won a record eight Wanamaker Miles, and is taking aim at the U.S. record in the 2,000, the sports’ grand old man out to prove he’s still more grand than old.
“The American record, that’s what I’m coming for, to see if I can do that. I’m confident if all goes well I can do it,’’ Lagat said of Steve Scott’s 4:58.6 mark from 1981.
Meanwhile, Cain is the sports’ future, a Bronxville High senior who set the World Junior record in the 1,000 and missed the mile mark by 1/100th of a second — something she aims to rectify Saturday.
After initially expressing concerns over the meet moving from the Garden, Lagat swept the 5,000 and two-mile last year and has come around.
“I made my feelings known. In the beginning it didn’t feel like Millrose at first,’’ Lagat admitted. “That transition was kind of hard for me. To listen to the national anthem playing, that wasn’t the Wanamaker Mile. It didn’t feel the same, and I’m being honest. But they’ve put on a great race now. We have more fans, we have the coverage. When you [move it], it better be for a great reason, and it did that.
“You find great athletes coming into the race because it’s a 200-meter track, whereas when it was in Madison Square Garden, the reason it was going down [was] it was hard to attract the caliber of athletes like Ashton [Eaton] and Nick [Symmonds] because people were not thinking, ‘I’m going to run on this little track.’ It was kind of hard. Now we’re getting more fans, more athletes and exposure.’’
The Millrose Games’ 97-year run in the Garden ended ignominiously, with the sellout crowds of the 1990s shriveling to a paltry 9,600 in its final year. When it moved to the Armory, the first season saw plenty of doubters who grew even louder with problems landing a live TV deal.
But the New York Road Runners lent the expertise that pulls off the New York City Marathon, and rather than go cheap, organizers doubled down. They raised ticket prices — the highest being $180 — and splurged on top athletes, pitching the Armory’s fast track. It proved a masterstroke, with a sellout crowd, live NBC Sports broadcast and no plans to go back to the Garden or move to Barclays Center.
“Probably not, and for good reason. [The Armory] has had more track meets than any building in the world. We just celebrated 100 years of track at the Armory. There is no track that is that fast,’’ Armory Foundation president Dr. Norbert Sander said. “You know who deserves that? It’s not the spectators, but the athletes. They deserve that. It’s not on a rickety track that’s put up at the last minute.’’
Matthew Centrowitz was scratched from the Wanamaker Mile, but the field includes Lawi Lalang, Chris O’Hare, and Alan Webb in his indoor retirement race. The women’s field includes Emma Coburn, Emily Lipari, Cain, and her young rival Alexa Efraimson, just 16 and the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals champ.
“I love coming here. I’ve been coming to the Armory since I was an 8th grader, so it’s an advantage. I’m excited to have a home-field advantage,’’ said Cain, aiming for the world junior mile mark and whose anesthesiologist father, Charles, works at Columbia Presbyterian. “I’m hoping to get it, of course. … Hopefully we all just follow the rabbit and from there it’s holding on the last 800 a little better.’’
The sprints include Boston champ Marvin Bracy in the 60 meter, Olympic decathlon champ and world record holder Eaton in the 60 hurdles, and Wallace Spearmon taking on New Yorker Lalonde Gordon in a 300 that could see a world record.
Jeneba Tarmoh and Shalonda Solomon lead the women’s 60, Nia Ali and Jessica Zelinka the hurdles, and the 800 will be young but quick with Neptune (N.J.) product Ajee’ Wilson, Iceland’s Anita Hinriksdottir and NCAA champ Natoya Goule from Jamaica. But Cain is the most-heralded of the youngsters.
“I told Mary, ‘You have a bright future. It amazes me how you can do what you do.’ I can never do what she’s doing at that age,’’ Lagat said. “It’s a great surprise. You look at this young girl and it’s just pure talent. Mary Cain is just pure talent. … When I was young like that I don’t think I knew what I was doing, but she knows what she’s doing. She’ll compete — she doesn’t know any other way.’’