Will Claye Breaks Facility Record at New Balance Games

By Andrea Prusik for ArmoryTrack.com

New York (25-Jan) -- Records fell here at the 19th annual New Balance Games hosted by The New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory on January 25, 2014.

Will Claye arrived at The Armory for the first time with one goal in mind – breaking the facility record. He accomplished just that by soaring 55 feet, 11 inches (17-04 meters) in the triple jump. 

Better yet, Claye’s jump is currently the farthest triple jump in the entire world for 2014 thus far. 

The previous facility record stood at 55 feet, 9.75 inches (17.01 meters) set by Tim Russan at the USA Championships in 2002. 

No stranger to setting records and achieving great things, Claye won a silver medal in the triple jump and a bronze medal in the long jump at the 2012 Olympics. 

Claye approached today with unwavering confidence. Before each jump, Claye attracted fans’ attention by encouraging them to participate in a suspense-building slow clap. 

“I am definitely capable,” said Claye at a press conference Thursday. “I never put limits on myself.”
Beyond this year, Claye hopes to make even greater achievements.

“My goal is to win the long jump and triple jump in Rio (at the 2016 Olympics). No one has ever done that before,” he said. 

On the track, a pair of facility records fell. In the elite 300 meter dash, Shaunae Miller won in 36.40 seconds to set a new facility record.

The previous record of 37.54 was set by Kadecia Baird last year. Baird competed today and also beat her previous record, finishing second in 37.26.

American Olympian Kim Conley set a facility record in the women’s mile, timing 4:24.54.  Manteo Mitchell was the men’s 300 meter winner in 32.71 seconds.