Flower Power Coming To Millrose

Alysia Montano — known for running from the front with a flower in her hair — will headline the field in the women’s 600 meter run at the 106th Millrose Games, February 16 at the Armory.

The Queens-born Olympian — who has blossomed into one of the top track & field personalities in the U.S. — will face off with former U.S. Indoor champion Phoebe Wright, World Indoor bronze medalist Erica Moore and World Junior champion and former Neptune High School (N.J.) sensation Ajee Wilson.

"This race has all the potential to produce a new American record," predicted Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn. Delisa Walton-Floyd set the American 600m record back in 1981 with a 1:26:56.

Fresh off a 2012 London Olympics performance where she finished fifth (1:57.43) in the 800-meter finals, Montano caught everyone’s attention when she stormed to a 2:00.47 in the opening heat.

"I have been looking forward to racing at Millrose for some time now, but could never fit it in the training schedule," said Montano, a four-time national champion (2007, 2010-2012) in the 800 meters and bronze medalist in 2010 World Indoor Championships. "This year is the perfect opportunity. The 600-meter run at Millrose is a wonderful opportunity to run fast, have fun and gauge my potential 800-meter time at this point in the season."

She always wears a flower in her hair because "it was my symbol of strength in femininity and not losing that part of me."

Montano, a standout at the University of California-Berkeley, recorded the world’s fastest time in 2010 in the 800m with a 1:57.34 in Monaco.

Wright, a University of Tennessee graduate, is a former NCAA champion who has dipped well below the two-minute barrier in the 800m run (1:58.22). Moore, who graduated from Indiana State University, has run sub-two as well and has a 1:28.02 for 600m to her credit. She ran that two years ago in Blacksburg, Va. Wilson, just 18 years old, has twice been a world champion at 800 meters. Her 2:00.91 last summer at the World Juniors was the second-fastest ever for a high schooler. She ran 1:10.79 for 500 meters last weekend at The Armory.

To stay atop all the Millrose Games' news, please visit Millrose-Games.org. Here are the announcements to date:

• Millrose Coming to ESPN in 2013
• Charismatic Leapers Coming To Millrose
• Symmonds, Solomon To Reunite
• Lagat To Chase Records At Millrose Again
• Jager, Ritz Join Lagat, Levins & Lalang In Two-Mile
• Richardson Hurdles Into Millrose Games
• DeLoach To Face Reese In Millrose Long Jump
• London Gold Medalists Suhr, Reese Commit
• High School Mile Qualifying
• Millrose TrialsYield High School Fields