Former Vilanova Collegiate Stars Sweep Men and Women's Pro Athlete TC Mile Titles

It was Villanova day at the Medtronic TC 1 Mile in the shadow of the Guthrie Theater Friday evening.  Defending women's  champion Emily Lapari, who ran for Villanova in college repeated last year's triumph unleashing her kick on the final straightaway

Emily Lapari celebrates defending
her title. Photo by Gene Niemi
Note on her singlet the upside down proclamation: 
"Wonder Woman"

"My coach told me to make my move with a hundred to go, said men's champion Sam McEntee a teammate of Lipari's at Villanova .  "I went earlier at about 200.  I should have waited like my coach told me."

McEntee(40) gets a gap on Daniel Herrera(22), who repeated
 as the runner-up again this year. Photo by Gene Niemi

Though McEntee opened a lead quickly, he said he soon started to tighten up.  McEntee
didn't panic.  He kept his form and held on to finnish first. An Aussie, McEntee recently changed location and his coach.  McEntee said that he needed to make some changes because he often felt  "burned out," fatigued from travel from his home in Perth, Australia so he'll join his new coach, Frank Gagliano, in the States and his base will be New York.

He's also returning to shorter races as he had been racing at 3K and 5K because his former coaches believed McEntee might do better competing in those distances.

 On Monday, Jim Estes, the TC in Motion recruiter, got a call from from two time US Olympic team steeplechaser, Anthony Famiglietti(nicknamed Fam).  Fam told Estes that he wanted to run under four minutes in the mile when he turns 40.  To do that, said Fam had to  drop down in distance, work on his speed.  Fam had run a 4:05 in practice demonstrating that breaking four was possible.  Fam wanted to join the small group of men who have accomplished that feat.If he's able to do it, Fam says, that would make four have done it, a unique accomplishment dominated by the number four.

Results are HERE