INVITATIONAL 400-METER RACES SET FOR NEW BALANCE GAMES:
By David Monti
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission

The invited sections of the 400 meters at next Saturday's New Balance Games at the Armory have been settled, according to 1996 Olympic 400-meter hurdles gold medallist, Derrick Adkins, who recruited the fields.  "It gets better and better every year," Adkins said of the event.  The women's section looks particularly good, led by 2008 Olympic 4 x 400-meter relay gold medallist Natasha Hastings.  The 24 year-old Hastings won the event last year in 52.68 and was enthusiastic about coming back to the Armory.  "She wanted to talk to the kids," Adkins explained.  "She wanted to give autographs.  I'm very proud of her for wanting to come back to the Armory and give back."  Hastings, who has an outdoor personal best of 49.84 seconds, will face five other women: Mary Wineberg (52.23i PB), Fawn Dorr (52.51), Brandi Cross (51.63), Melocia Clarke of Jamaica (52.32), and Tamika Kinchen (2:03.25 800m).  The men's 400 will feature Michael Courtney (45.92 PB), Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad & Tobago (46.33), Troy Faulkner (46.65), Anthony Campbell of Jamaica (46.76), Joe Greene (46.49), and Manteo Mitchell (46.00).