Photo by adidas Grand Prix, Facebook
New York, NY - Randall's Island's Icahn Stadium is going under a change this fall. Ground has been broken on a new project that looks to change the look of the signature stadium, which opened on April 23, 2005 on the site of the former Downing Stadium. While a change of the track color and surfacing is nice, the biggest change next year for New Yorkers will be the meet schedule. The Adidas Grand Prix, formally known as the Reebok Grand Prix, is an IAAF Diamond League meet that happens annually each June at the famous city stadium. Each year, Adidas adds some extra excitement to the typical "Professional Only" outing. The Adidas Dream Mile compiles some of the best male and female high school milers in the country to truly test whose the fastest. Past winners have included sub-4 minute miler Lukas Verzbicas, and last years champion, Bernie Montoya.
However, one thing has prevented the race from truly being the best selection of runners in the country. The meet, due to regulations of the IAAF, has typically fallen on the same date as the NYSPHSAA Outdoor Track and Field State Meet, the culmination for most of New York's own talent. The conflict has all but prevented the Empire State from representing its own down in the city.
But that looks to change this year, after a changeover in the dates has moved the meet two weeks earlier than the State Meet, where it now falls on May 25th, 2013. How will this effect the fields? Only time can tell, but the door has been opened for New York to challenge the best in their own backyard.
For more information on the meet, and the stadium's ongoing progress, be sure to like The Adidas Grand Prix on Facebook.