2017 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

Full Breakdown Of New Balance DMR World Record Attempt

Full Breakdown Of New Balance DMR World Record Attempt

This Saturday, the stacked quartet of Emma Coburn, Sydney McLaughlin, Brenda Martinez and Jenny Simpson will come together in an attempt to make distance medley relay history.

Jan 26, 2017 by Taylor Dutch
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This Saturday, the stacked quartet of Emma Coburn, Sydney McLaughlin, Brenda Martinez and Jenny Simpson will come together in an attempt to make distance medley relay history. With a team comprised of four Olympians, the indoor world record and potentially the outdoor world record are in jeopardy of falling at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.

nullAs announced on Monday, McLaughlin was added as the 400m leg to the team's record attempt at the Reggie Lewis Center. The 17-year-old McLaughlin is returning to indoor track after competing in the semifinals of the 400m hurdles at the Olympic Games. She will receive the baton from Olympic bronze medalist and 1200m leg Coburn. McLaughlin will hand off to world bronze medalist Martinez for the 800m leg, and she will give the stick to Simpson, the 1500m Olympic bronze medalist. With such a star-studded lineup, the question won't be WILL they break the indoor world record but by how much?

The standing world indoor record is 10:42.57, which was set in 2015 at the same meet by a studly group of women--Sarah Brown, Mahagony Jones, Megan Krumpoch, and Martinez. The race in which it was set was an exciting showdown between the New Balance team and the New York All Stars. The race came down to the wire between the two opposing anchor legs. Martinez and New York's Nicole Tully battled leads until the final 200m when Martinez unleashed a lethal kick to take down Tully and claim the record in 10:42.57 with a 4:27.77 split. Tully followed to bring the runner-up team through the finish line in 10:42.79. Both teams' performances were well under the previous indoor world record of 10:50.98 set by Tennessee in 2009.

World Indoor Record Team (2015)
Sarah Brown (1200m) -- 3:15.54
Mahagony Jones (400m) -- 53.59
Megan Krumpoch (800m) -- 2:05.68
Brenda Martinez (1600m) -- 4:27.77
= 10:42.57
nullThe outdoor world record of 10:36.50 was run by Team USA at the 2015 IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas. The team assembled consisted of world indoor finalist Treniere Moser, Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross, world finalist Ajee Wilson, and American record-holder Shannon Rowbury.


World Outdoor Record Team (2015)
Treniere Moser (1200m) -- 3:18.38
Sanya Richards-Ross (400m) -- 50.12
Ajee Wilson (800m) -- 2:00.08
Shannon Rowbury (1600m) -- 4:27.92
= 10:36.50

This weekend's attempt has the potential to see even faster individual splits than the indoor record and potentially faster splits than the outdoor record on some of the legs. If the field establishes an aggressive pace from the beginning and each athlete performs up to their ability, both records have the potential to fall on Saturday.


1200m: Emma Coburn

Coburn is returning from a historic 2016 season that included the American record in the steeplechase and an Olympic bronze medal in Rio. Her breakthrough Rio performance made her the first American to claim an Olympic medal in the event.

nullCoburn's DMR experience includes two anchor leg runs as a member of Colorado's squad at the Big 12 Championships, according to TFRRS. As a professional, Coburn hasn't competed in a relay, but her 4:05 1500m speed should provide a quick lead-off.

Projected split: 3:14-3:16


400m: Sydney McLaughlin

At 16 years old, McLaughlin shocked the world when she finished third in the 400m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials. After earning her first Olympic berth, McLaughlin competed through the semifinals in Rio, where she became the youngest American track Olympian in over 40 years. Most recently, McLaughlin ran the second-fastest 300m sprint in prep history when she clocked 37.11 at the Molloy Stanner Games on Jan. 14. Her indoor 400m personal best of 51.84 will be a welcomed addition on the crucial second leg of the relay.

Projected split: 51.50-52.50


800m: Brenda Martinez

Martinez's 2016 season can be best described as tenacious. At the U.S. Olympic Trials, Martinez battled through three rounds of the 800m only to suffer from a last-minute collision before the homestretch. After her 800m Olympic dreams were dashed, Martinez picked herself back up and fought through three more rounds of the 1500m. With six races in her legs, she finished third in the final and earned a spot on her first Olympic team.

nullThe 2013 world bronze medalist will never disappoint on the 800m leg. Her outdoor personal best of 1:57 and her indoor personal best of 2:00 should give the team yet another boost heading into the anchor leg.

Projected split: 2:00-2:01


1600m: Jenny Simpson

Simpson will be absolutely lethal on the 1600m portion. She is returning from a 2016 season in which she became the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in the 1500m. The 2011 world champion has never competed in a distance medley relay before, which makes Saturday's race even more highly anticipated. The danger in Simpson lies in her 1500m PR of 3:57 (converts to 4:14 for 1600m) and her proven ability to throw down with competition around her.

A memorable example is her indoor mile personal best of 4:25.91 from 2009, which took place during her victory against her then-Big 12 Conference rival Sally Kipyego. In this early-season competition, Simpson might not be in 3:57 shape, but she is certainly capable of splitting a time close to her mile personal best of 4:22. However, no anchor on the all-time top 10 DMR list has ever split faster than 4:27.77, and Simpson will likely be racing the clock, which is why we gave her a more conservative projected split of 4:25-4:27.

Projected split: 4:25-4:27

Projected DMR Finish Range: 10:30-10:36

With top talent on each leg and the excitement that comes with the team aspect of a relay, the standing indoor world record should easily fall in the hands of Coburn, McLaughlin, Martinez, and Simpson. But could we also see an all-conditions best?