Who are the best RI athletes that will be competing at the New Balance Nationals Indoor (NBNI) Championships, March 11-13? Leading up to the nationals at the New Balance Armory in New York City, MileSplit RI will feature what we consider the top athletes from the Ocean State in their respective events.
Boys' Two Mile
Emerging Elite, March 11, 10:35 a.m.
Championship, March 13, 1:26 p.m.
It's not too far-fetched to believe that we could have three of our Rhode Islanders make it to the podium in this event - all from One team! La Salle Academy has entered its Big Three in the two mile with Jack Salisbury, Matt Bouthillette and DJ Principe scheduled to answer the gun. The field is loaded for this race with several capable of breaking nine minutes for the 16-lapper, including the Ram trio. Thomas Ratcliffe of Concorde-Carilse (MA) ran a solo 8:57.47 effort last month and the home state's Aidan Tooker of Saratoga Springs (NY) has done 8:54.22 for 3,200 meters and Conor Lundy of Fordham Prep (NY) won the Yale Track Classic with a best of 8:22 for 3,000m. You have to also figure that Salisbury, Principe and Bouthillette will be in the mix. They've certainly earned the recognition. Salisbury is having another spectacular season on the oval. He defeated Ratcliffe in the Junior Mile at the New Balance Grand Prix last month with a season best of 4:08.33 (US #4) and last week won the 1,000m at the New England Championships with a time of 2:28.40 (US #10), both state records. Salisbury could have entered the mile run, a race he would be labeled as one of the favorites, considering current HS record-holder and sub four-minute guy, Drew Hunter of Loudon Valley (VA), will not be running. But he indicated to distance coach Bill Myers a few weeks ago that he wanted to run where the competition is and run a fast two mile. He'll get his wish with the competition and, as we've learned throughout his career, when the competition is ripe Salisbury often runs his best. As for Principe, he'll be going into next weekend's race after breaking the state record and nine minutes with his 8:59.05 win in the two mile at the New England Championships. Principe looked smooth and relaxed in a race that he ran solo for final mile after a strong surge away from Eric van der Els of Brien McMahon (CT). He also finished second to Lundy at the Yale Classic where he set a R.I. record for 3K of 8:26.51 (US #4). After being sidetracked somewhat with health issues during the state meet, Bouthillette proved that's now behind him with a strong performance in the mile at the New England's where he battled with the leaders until the end. Remember back in January, Bouthillette beat his teammates and a talented field to win the two mile at the Ocean Breeze Invitational in N.Y., where he clocked a PB of 9:05.48.With the runners mentioned above and a few others such as Gannon Wilcutts of Albemarie (VA), who has a best of 9:05.49 and Utah's Garek Bielaczyc of Lehl, a 9-minute two-miler, this race has potential to be one of the most highly-contested battles this weekend with several in the 8:50 range. The odds are good that the La Salle trio could be part of that group. We also can't forget that Cumberland's Sean Laverty is in the race. He ran 8:36 for 3K at Yale and 8:42 at the state meet. He capable of running 9:15 or faster.