The Central Park Track Club New Balance can add another World Record to its growing list of accomplishments. On Friday, February 15th at the Armory, the relay team of Jonevan Hornsby, Andrew Hogue, David Peters, and Neil Fitzgerald eclipsed the men’s 35-39 4×800 meter indoor world record by running a time of 8:04.75. The previous record was 8:11.58.
Jonevan Hornsby, a former Georgetown middle distance star, took control of the race from the starting gun with a blistering 1:58 leg. With the lead, he passed the baton to Hogue, a Vice President on a Wall Street trading desk, who ran a 2:02 second leg. “When I handed the baton to Dave and the clock was right at 4:00 minutes, I knew we were well on pace to break the record”.
The reigning British Masters 1500m Champion, indoors and outdoors, David Peters clicked off four steady laps in 2 minutes flat and handed the baton to the reigning masters 800 meter world champion, Neil Fitzgerald. David recounted, “Before the race, I thought it was going to be touch and go, whether we would break the record. But as soon as Jonevan led out the first leg in sub-2 and Andrew kept us in front and well inside our time target on the second leg, I knew I had no choice but to go out there and keep the momentum going, so that Neil could bring us home on the final leg.
And Neil did just that. He closed the race with a last leg 2:03 stopping the clock at 8:04.65. “As Neil crossed the line, we realized that we hadn’t just broken the World Record but truly smashed it. It really was the best feeling in the world”, said Peters.
The team is coached by Devon Martin, a former 1500 meter Olympic Trials Qualifier from Columbia University. She herself, a 4×800 meter 35-39 4×800 meter women’s world record holder, has coached the Central Park Track Club New Balance to 3 straight Club National Championships. Devon Martin stated: “We were so proud to have these guys part of CPTC New Balance.”