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News & Notes: Tiru, Centro at Center Stage

Tirunesh Dibaba has already set two World Records at the Reggie Lewis Center, so who’s to say there isn’t another one in the offing? You’ll get the chance to find out when the three-time Olympic gold medalist from Ethiopia returns to the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, this time in the 2-Mile. Boston’s Ethiopian fans are sure to be out in force for their favorite daughter – check out this terrific video of Tiru talking about her hometown – but eyes will also be on young Mary Cain, the 16-year-old American phenom who is looking to run fast here.

Are we on the threshold of the glory days for American milers? If so, Matthew Centrowitz is helping lead us through the door. With his 2011 World Championships bronze medal and his and 2012 Olympic finish just off the podium, Centro headlines what is sure to be an exciting mile field in Boston. Last year, the star-studded mile featured … well, let’s just say it featured the unexpected. As for Centro, he ended last season with a win in the Fifth Avenue Mile, in which New Balance’s rising star Brenda Martinez also played a starring role.

We Have a Winner

Rephayah Black is the lucky name drawn from our Facebook friends who correctly listed the 2012 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix athletes who went on to win a total of 10 gold medals in the London Olympics: Aries Merritt, Tirunesh Dibaba, Jenn Suhr, Meseret Defar, Kirani James, Dee Dee Trotter, Lauryn Williams, Bianca Knight and double champion Mo Farah. Rephayah, PM us on our Facebook page and we’ll send your pair of New Balance shoes and an autograph right out. 

Birthplace of Olympic Distance Medals

Hey, wait … did last year’s Boston meet have all four London gold medalists at 5 and 10? Yes indeed, not to mention two silver medalists and a bronze. Twelve medals, and seven of them won by #NBIndoorGP athletes. Not bad. Get your tickets here for the 2013 edition, because who knows how many future medalists will be out there on the track.

WIN! FREE! SHOES! AND AUTOGRAPH!

Now that we have your attention: Here’s your chance to win a pair of New Balance shoes and, if you’re a ticketholder, the chance to have your photo taken with one of our stars on Feb. 2. Just go to our Facebook page, “like” us, and tell us about your favorite race or athlete from the past 17 years of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. Whether you were there in person, watched on TV, read about it, heard about it …  we want to know your #1 pick, and so does everyone else.

Feed the Birdie

For all the latest breaking news on the meet, be sure to follow us on Twitter. That’s where our tweeps learned this week that Galen Rupp is hoping to run a smoking-fast mile at the Boston University Terrier Invitational on Jan. 26, the week before he lights up the Reggie in the 3000. And when you’re tweeting about us, don’t forget:  Please use #NBIndoorGP.