The New Balance Nationals have arrived.
For four straight days beginning on Thursday, The Track at New Balance will play host to The Fastest Party on the Planet. Few will argue, and most might add the Furthest, Highest and Longest, too. Though that doesn’t quite have the ring of Fastest.
But you get the picture.
As they always do, the nation’s finest track & field athletes will put on a show down in Boston, and we’re expecting several of our Rhode Islanders will, too. Here’s what we consider the top events on Saturday.
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Boys’ 200-Meter Dash
This event features La Salle’s Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo, the state and New England champion at 300 meters. Giroux-Pezzullo clocked a PR of 22.20 at the Riverhawk Invitational on Feb. 6, a time he missed matching by just 0.01 seconds at the Rising Stars Youth Championships this past weekend.
The Boston University commit captured the New England title in the 300m with a meet record and PR of 33.87. On an outdoor surface, Giroux-Pezzullo has already dipped under 22 seconds, finishing sixth at New Englands last spring with a best of 21.89. Based on what we’ve seen this season, we believe he’s capable of running a time like that, or even faster, at The TRACK at New Balance.
The race also features East Providence’s Jack Pawlik. The defending outdoor champion clocked a best of 21.73 to win the Class A crown. The Townie junior followed that performance with victories at the state championships (21.90) and New Englands (21.97).
Boys’ 800-Meter Run
In five of the last six years, a time under 1:50 has been needed to earn a top-six finish. We’re predicting it will be similar on Saturday.
The state’s lone entry is La Salle’s Eamon O’Brien. Based on what we’ve seen this season, we’re anticipating a possible PR performance from the Rams’ junior—at least on the indoor surface.
Back on Feb. 6, O’Brien ran an indoor best of 1:55.33 at the Riverhawk Invitational, held at The TRACK at New Balance. The La Salle standout, who owns 50-second 40om speed, has an all-time best of 1:52.81 from the BSR Elite Scholastic last May.
Boys’ 4xMile Relay
Four of the top five mile times this season belong to runners from Hendricken. All four will be part of the Hawks’ squad competing in this event on Saturday. That quartet includes Colby Flynn (4:14.47), David Hayes (4:20.94), Brayden Seraichyk (4:26.51), and Fred Russell (4:31.59). Based on those performances, the Hawks would project to run roughly 17:32.
Over the last four years, a time between 17:17 and 17:23 has typically secured a top-six finish. Do we think this crew is capable of landing in that range? Absolutely. All four ran their season bests before Jan. 10, and two months later it’s not unrealistic to see each improving by a couple of seconds in a meet like New Balance Nationals Indoor.
Boys Weight Throw
Everyone is coming.
Well, almost everyone.
The top nine in the national rankings are scheduled to compete in an event that should provide plenty of excitement. Once again, the leader behind the cage is Shamrock Thoun. The Woonsocket senior will be competing in the first of three national meets—New Balance Nationals, Nike Indoor Nationals, and adidas Indoor Nationals—all of which he is the defending champion.
Thoun owns a PR and nation-leading mark of 83-1.75 from his win at the state meet a few weeks ago. He’ll be matched up against two other 80-foot throwers: Nevada’s Kayden Hulet of Debbie Smith CTE Academy (82-0.75) and East Greenwich’s Ryan Evans (81-10.75), who headline a loaded field.
Hendricken’s Dimitri Johnson (74-2.75) and Barrington’s Joe Adams (73-7) are also capable of of making the All-American squad. Based on the seeds, something in the mid-to-high 70-foot range seems like it would earn a top-six spot.
Girls’ Weight Throw
After winning her second straight title Thursday at the Nike Indoor Nationals, Toll Gate’s Vanessa Jones will look to do it again at New Balance. Confidence should be on her side as she faces many of the same rivals she saw at NIN. In earning her most recent win, Jones produced an all-time best of 59-5. She’ll be looking to become the first thrower to exceed 60 feet since 2023 – and the first from Rhode Island since state record-holder and former Ponaganset standout Gianna Rao did it in 2018.
Jones’ top competition will likely come from her familiar foes from NIN, 2-3 finishers Kim Beard of Get Strong First Track Club (WA) and Ainsley Cuthbertson of Lexington (MA). Beard had a best of 59-4.75 on Thursday, while Cuthbertson went 56-8.75.
Girls’ Pole Vault
This event features Ponaganset’s Amber Shaw, who has demonstrated consistency throughout the season. She enters this weekend’s competition with a PR of 12-feet even from her victory at the Yale Track Classic, and has gone 11-6 or higher seven times this winter.
