High school senior student-athletes have benefited greatly from two Armory Trials last month. Two more installments are added for November.  Photos by John Nepolitan

NEW YORK, NY, October 29, 2020 – After a tremendously successful debut this October, The Armory Foundation is pleased to announce two new editions of the Armory Trials.

This custom-built track & field event is designed to give athletes a chance to bolster their college recruiting profiles with official fully automatic time (FAT) marks in the absence of traditional meets, while strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines. The Trials will take place on Sunday, November 8^th, and Sunday, November 22^nd.

“The Armory Trials were a game changing experience for athletes of Athletics Westchester,” said Dom Zanot, head coach of Athletics Westchester, reflecting on October’s two events. “Not only were they able to receive validation for their dedication throughout the pandemic with new personal records, but their official marks opened doors that were previously closed for college recruitment.”

Nearly 300 athletes participated in each of the first two Trials that took place on October 3^rd and October 10^th. For most of these athletes, the Trials marked their first official competition since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the extended layoff, many athletes were able to set lifetime bests, a testament to their hard work, as well as The Armory’s lightning-fast Mondo surface.

One runner who made the most of her Trials experience was Maya Dorer, a senior from St. Joseph High School. Dorer ran the fastest 800m at both events, running 2:12.85, followed by 2:12.34. News of these performances – run solo without any competition – spread quickly throughout the track world as Dorer recently announced her commitment to Villanova University.

“It was a great opportunity to test my fitness after training so long without any races on the books,” Dorer said.

Another standout performer was Max Forte, one of Zanot’s charges at Athletics Westchester. At the first Trials, Forte set a personal best in the long jump by more than a foot, leaping 23 feet, 2.5 inches to claim the victory. This breakthrough jump landed Forte an offer from Duke University, his top choice.

“I was injured all sophomore year, and COVID-19 and injuries took away my junior year,” said Forte. “I find inspiration in the Japanese proverb, `Fall down seven times, stand up eight.’ ”

More information about the November 8^th event is available at https://www.armorytrack.com/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=14157&mgroup_id=45586&year=2020 and the November 22^nd event can be found at https://www.armorytrack.com/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=14158&mgroup_id=45586&year=2020 . Space is limited at the Armory Trials, so don’t miss your chance to register for this special opportunity.

Follow The Armory on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @armorynyc, or go to ArmoryTrack.com, Armory.NYC or NYRRMillroseGames.org.

About The Armory Foundation

The Armory Foundation is a New York City non-profit institution, with the mission of "Keeping Kids on Track." Each season The Armory – the proud home of the Millrose Games – hosts more than 100 track & field meets and welcomes more than 220,000 athlete visits. Among its many youth sports and educational programs, including the acclaimed Armory College Prep program, The Armory runs the leading collegiate indoor track meet with the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge, and also hosts the largest high school indoor track meets with this past year's 26th U. S. Air Force Hispanic Games, The New Balance Games, New Balance Nationals Indoor, the Energice Coaches Hall of Fame and Holiday Classic. New York Road Runners is a proud sponsor of all athletic events at The Armory. The Armory runs the Columbia & NewYork – Presbyteran Indoor Marathon presented by New York Road Runners, which is the world’s largest indoor marathon relay. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and dozens of very large education-focused events. For more: Please visit Armory.NYC and ArmoryTrack.com.