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Boston, Mass. (Jan. 19, 2026) – Some of the best emerging middle-distance talents from three different nations will take to the track in the boys’ and girls’ U20 international miles at the 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, organizers announced today.
 
Tickets for the event at the TRACK at new balance on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, which forms part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold, are now on sale at www.nbindoorgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-849-8722.

Included among the 11 young men and 11 young women toeing the line this Saturday in Boston is Carter Smith, the second-fastest returning miler for American high school boys with a 4:01.20 personal best mile from last season, and Paige Sheppard, the defending New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Girls U20 mile champion, who comes into the 2026 season as the third-fastest returning US high school miler, with a 4:33.67 best set in her victory at the New Balance Outdoor High School National Championships.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Junior Miles have a long tradition in producing future global champions and world-class competitors. Past junior milers include stars such as 2011 world champion Jenny Simpson, 2016 Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz, and 2025 world indoor champion Josh Hoey as well as 2016 Olympic 3000m steeplechase silver medalist Evan Jager, Nico Young and Craig Engels.

Full entries are as follows:

Girls U20 International Mile

• Emily Bolton (IRL) – Institute of Education – Dublin, IRL – 2nd, 2025 Irish U20 Championships, 1500m

• Braelyn Combe (USA) – Santiago High School – Rancho Cucamonga, CA – 2025 California State Champion, 1600m

• Eimear Cooney (IRL) – Sacred Heart Secondary – Drogheda, Co. Meath – 2025 Irish U20 Champion, 1500m

• Natasza Dudek (POL) – Ann Arbor Pioneer High School – Ann Arbor, MI – 2025 Nike XC and 2025 Brooks XC Champion

• Abigail Hennessy (USA) – Westford Academy – Westford, MA – 3rd, New Balance High School National Outdoor Championships, Mile

• Ashlin Mallon (USA) – Cardinal Newman – Santa Rosa, CA – 6th, 2025 California Div. V State Cross Country Championships

• Reagan Moore (USA) – Oak Knoll School – Summit, NJ – 2025 Nike Indoor High School National Champion, 800m

• Celia Schulte (USA) – Hilliard Davidson High School – Hilliard, OH – 2025 Ohio State High School Champion, 800m

• Paige Sheppard (USA) – Union Catholic – Hillsborough, NJ – 2025 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix U20 Mile Champion and 2025 New Balance Outdoor High School National Champion, Mile

• Mackenzie Skelly (USA) – Penn Charter – Laverock, PA – 2025 New Balance Indoor Middle School National Champion, 1 Mile

• Jaelyn Williams (USA) – Eastlake High School – Chula Vista, CA – 2025 California State Div. I State Cross Country Champion

Boys U20 International Mile

• John Bianchi (USA) – Natick High School – Natick, MA – 2025 MSTCA XC Runner-of-the-Year

• Cole Boone (USA) – Pulaski County High School – Dublin, VA – US high school indoor record-holder, 1000m

• Brian Burns (USA) – Bentonville High School – Bentonville, AR – 2025 Arkansas State 6A Cross Country Champion

• Rocco Culpepper (USA) – Niwot High School – Lafayette, CO – 2025 USATF U20 Champion, 800m

• Trent Daniels (USA) – Gainesville High School – Bristow, VA – 2025 Virginia State High School Indoor Champion, 1600m and 3200m

• Lorcán Forde Dunne (IRL) – St. Mary’s Diocesan – Drogheda, Co. Meath – 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival U18 Champion, 1500m

• Grady Lenn (USA) – De Pere High School – De Pere, WI – 2025 Wisconsin State Champion, 1600m and 3200m

• Liam Morris (IRL) – Belvedere College SJ – Dublin, IRL – 7-time Irish age-group national champion

• Caleb Ten Pas (USA) – Des Moines Christian School – Des Moines, IA – 2025 adidas Indoor High School National Champion, Mile

• Carter Smith (USA) – Mifflin County High School – Lewistown, PA – 2025 New Balance Outdoor National Champion, Mile

• Caleb Winders (USA) – Bloomington North High School – Bloomington, IN – 2025 New Balance Outdoor National High School Champion, 800m

Those elite U20 athletes join top professional athletes at this Saturday’s New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, including Noah Lyles, Jake Wightman, Elle St. Pierre, Jessica Hull, Donavan Brazier, Bryce Hoppel, Josh Hoey, Grant Fisher, Cordell Tinch and many more.

Full entries and an updated schedule are now available on www.nbindoorgrandprix.com. Doors will open to the public at 12:00PM EST and the 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will conclude at 4:30PM EST.

The 2026 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be shown live on NBC from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST* on Saturday, Jan. 24 and is a founding member of the World Athletics Indoor Tour. The series of the best indoor athletics events around the world awards overall tour winners $10,000 and a guaranteed spot at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland.
 
Now in its 31st year, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix has played host to nine world records and 16 American records.
 
Media applications for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix have closed. A detailed media advisory including press conference details for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 will be sent to accredited media at the beginning of this week.
 
*Please note that the broadcast window has been revised from what had been published earlier.
 
About New Balance
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