On January 26, New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe will welcome the Mayor's Cup Indoor Track & Field Championship to the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory. High school track & field teams from the Public School Athletic League (PSAL), the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) and independent schools are set to compete in this exciting citywide competition. This one-day event will feature over 4,000 high school athletes competing in events including hurdles, long jump, pole vault, shot put and numerous relays. The girls competition will begin at 8:45am and the boys will begin at 1:30pm.

"I am delighted to welcome the Mayor's Cup Indoor Track & Field Championship back to the New Balance Track & Center at the Armory," said Commissioner Podziba. "The Mayor's Cup brings together the top track & field athletes from the public, private and parochial schools in a head-to-head competition that will crown a true city champion in each event. I wish all the student-athletes the best of luck in their quest for the Mayor's Cup title."

The favorites in this year's Mayor's Cup include several powerhouse girls programs such as Bishop Loughlin High School (Brooklyn - CHSAA), Benjamin Cardozo High School (Queens - PSAL) and Boys & Girls High School (Brooklyn - PSAL). The top boys teams competing this year are Sheepshead Bay High School (Brooklyn - PSAL) and East New York Transit Tech (Brooklyn - PSAL).

"The Mayor's Cup Indoor Track and Field Championship engages New York City's youth in sports, active recreation, and healthy competition," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "With first class parks and recreational facilities, especially our many newly renovated track and field facilities throughout the five boroughs, New York City is a year-round runner's paradise. This annual citywide competition provides thousands of young athletes the opportunity to compete with the fastest runners and best jumpers in the Big Apple."

The team winners of both the girls and boys divisions will be awarded the prestigious Mayor's Cup. In addition to indoor track & field, the City has sponsored Mayor's Cup tournaments in a variety of sports including wheelchair basketball, billiards, lacrosse, cross country, outdoor track & field, field hockey, kayaking, baseball, table tennis, squash, handball, judo, soccer, tennis, wrestling, softball, chess and volleyball.

New York City has a long and storied track & field history. The City plays host to the Millrose Games, the nation's oldest indoor track & field meet, as well as the ING New York City Marathon and the National Track & Field Hall of Fame at the New Balance Track & Field Center. New York City's track & field history also includes the 1936 Olympic Trials, held on Randall's Island, in which Jesse Owens began his journey into Olympic history.

For the schedule of events, please visit www.psal.org.

Parks & Recreation is the steward of almost 29,000 acres of land - 14 percent of New York City - including more than 4,000 individual properties ranging from Yankee Stadium and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds; we manage four major stadia, 550 tennis courts, 52 public pools, 48 recreational facilities, 17 nature centers, 13 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches; we care for 1,200 monuments and 22 historic house museums; we look after 500,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City's principal provider of athletic facilities. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals. For more information about Parks, visit our Web site: www.nyc.gov/parks.

The New York City Sports Commission is the mayoral agency charged with attracting, facilitating and promoting professional, amateur and scholastic sports events in New York City. The Sports Commission has played an integral role in creating or developing many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series™ Champions Week, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championship, the AVP Brooklyn Open, the NAUTICA NYC Triathlon, the NYC Half-Marathon, the Union Square Street Sessions presented by Jeep®, the Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race, and the Men's Health Urbanathlon.