New Balance Collegiate Invitational Begins Today; Manzano Ready to Compete
Posted February 8th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College
New York City’s most important collegiate track meet, the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, begins today at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory. It will be the eighth annual edition of this mega-meet which encompasses both high school and university athletes. Teams from over 100 colleges are expected to take part.
The nation’s top middle-distance collegiate runner, Leonel Manzano of the University of Texas, will be opening his 2008 season at this meet, running both the distance medley relay today and the mile tomorrow. “Leo,” as he is known to his friends seemed itchy to get on the fast Armory track again when he spoke to the New York Track Writers luncheon last Monday via telephone from Austin.
“This is going to be my first race of the season,” said Manzano. “This is a big weekend for us. I’m pretty excited to go out and see what I can do.”
Manzano, 23, who is in his last year of collegiate competition, is coming off of the best year of his career in 2007. He won the NCAA indoor title in the mile, was second at the NCAA outdoor championships at 1500m, and came up with a big second place finish at the USA national meet (ahead of Bernard Lagat) to earn a berth at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
“That was quite an experience,” he said of competing in Osaka last August where he failed to advance out of the preliminary round. “With the pros it’s a totally different experience. It was an awesome experience.”
Manzano said he had no specific goals for this weekend’s meeting, except to do his best and try to help his team get their NCAA Indoor Championships automatic qualifier in the DMR of 9:34.00.
“It would be nice to get that auto and get it over with,” he said. He added: “Also, I want to do well. With me, I just like competing.”
Looking past the collegiate season, Manzano is a serious contender to make his first Olympic team. After Bernard Lagat and Alan Webb, the competition for the third spot on the U.S. team is fierce, assuming Lagat chooses to do the 1500m in Beijing (he could choose the 5000m instead; he plans to do both events at the Trials). Manzano, who has a 1500m personal best of 3:35.29, is very motivated to make his Olympic debut.
“I do think I have a good chance,” he said almost cautiously. “I’m not trying to be cocky or anything.”
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.
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Tags: Alan Webb, Armory, Bernard Lagat, college track & field, collegiate sports, Leonel Manzano, ncaa, ncaa track & field, new balance, New Balance Collegiate Invitational, new balance track & field center, New York City, new york track writers luncheon, olympic hopeful, Osaka, University of Texas
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