Will face strong challenges in Millrose Games Women's 400m Event

NEW YORK, December 27, 2011 - Armory Foundation president Dr. Norb Sander announced today that multi-World Champion and Olympic Gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross will compete in the 105th Millrose Games, February 11 at the New Balance Track & Field Center.

Richards-Ross is owner of five World Championships, including the 2009 400m title in Berlin (49.00) and 4x400m relay titles (2011, Daegu; 2009, Berlin, 2007, Oska; and 2003, Paris).

She is expected to face stiff competition mainly from Natasha Hastings, a 2011 U.S. Indoor Champion and Armory Track record holder as well as 2008 4x400m Olympic Gold medalist teammate Mary Wineberg and 2000 400m NCAA champion at Manhattan College and current Armory Prep Program Director Aliann Pompey who is attempting for a fourth appearance in the Olympics.

``Running at the Armory is very special to me,'' said Richards-Ross, who attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ``I broke both the high school 200m and 400m records there as a junior and I'm looking forward to more great performances on my favorite indoor track at the historic Millrose Games.''

During the 2002 National Scholastic Indoor Championships at the Armory, she won the 200 and 400 setting National High School records in both - 23.22 and 52.10. Since then both marks have been broken nationally but remain Armory records.

In 2010 she married New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross.

Richards-Ross captured a Bronze medal in the women's individual 400m in Beijing and a 2004 Gold medal in the 4x400m relay in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Her personal best and American record came in the 400m in the 2006 World Cup in Athens with a time of 48.70.

The 26-year-old two-time Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year is eying the 2012 Olympics in London and is especially eager for the Millrose Games to make its debut at the Armory, home of the ``World's Fastest Track.''

This also will mark Richards-Ross' professional debut in the Millrose Games.

``I am excited to hopefully run really well here,'' Richards-Ross said. ``I love this track. I know it's a fast track. It will be the start of a great 2012."

In 2002 at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships at the Armory, Sanya Richards (left) defeats Allyson Felix (far right) en route to establishing a National HS record.                                                                             

MORE ABOUT THE MILLROSE GAMES: The country's top men's and women's track & field athletes along with the finest college and high school student-athletes will showcase their talents in the Millrose Games at the Armory.

The Armory previously announced 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner LaShawn Merritt will compete in the 500m event while eight-time Wanamaker Mile champion Bernard Lagat will be running in the 5000m.

Contender for the Olympic Gold medal and current Outdoor High Jump World Champion Jesse Williams and Olympic Gold Medal challenger and reigning Indoor and Outdoor Long Jump World Champion Brittney Reese join 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Allyson Felix and World Champion/2008 USA Olympian Jennifer Simpson as confirmed athletes in the nation's premier indoor track & field event. Felix will compete in the Women's 60m event and Simpson will participate in the Millrose Games' first New York Road Runners' Wanamaker Metric Mile for Women.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.armorytrack.com. Click on to Millrose Games for more information, including ticket prices and seating chart. Note: there is an 8 ticket limit for online sales. For group sales of more than 8 tickets please call the Group Sales at (818) 276-6790 (818-ARMORY-0).

For more information on the Millrose Games, click to www.millrose-games.org. 

ABOUT THE ARMORY FOUNDATION:

A New York City non-profit, the Armory will be the proud home of the Millrose Games beginning in 2012.  With more than 100 additional indoor track & field meets, the Armory will welcome over 125,000 individual athletes. Besides its many youth sports and educational programs, the Armory runs the Hispanic Games, the New Balance Games, and the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, the largest indoor college meet in the United States. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

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