La Salle Academy's Jack Salisbury and Eliza Rego will test their mettle among some of the best runners in the region this afternoon. Both are entered in the invitational mile - a qualifier for the adidas Dream Mile - in their respective boys' and girls' races at the NY Relays on Randall Island.
Salisbury is one of the top seeds in his race based on his best of 4:08.76, which he did in the Junior Mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix this past February. Also scheduled to toe the line is Millrose Mile champion James Burke of Port Jefferson (NY), who was also second in his specialty at the New Balance National Indoor Championships. He has a best of 4:08.48. Other runners with potential to push the pace are Michael Vitucci of St. Xavier (OH), who has done 4:07.96 for 1,600 meters, and Saratoga Springs (NY) junior Aiden Tooker, an 8:56 two-miler that has also done 4:11 for the mile.
Rego, who won the New England Indoor title with an all-time best of 4:52, joins a field that features several runners that have dipped under five minutes. She also is one of the top seeds. Among her biggest challenge is Lucy Biles, a senior from Herriman (UT), who has a best of 4:49.
The girls' race is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and the boys are slated to begin at 1:10 p.m. Click HERE for a LIVE feed of the race, available to subscribers of MileSplit Insider.