New York, USA - Aliann Pompey cruised to a 51.85 sec victory in the 400m, an early season world leader, at the 14th New Balance Games at the New York's Armory's Track & Field Center on Saturday (24).

The three-time Olympian from Guyana torched the field on her home turf, as she trains at the Armory with former Irish sprint champion, Joe Ryan from Manhattan College. A former NCAA indoor champion, the 30-year-old physical trainer was an Olympic Semi-finalist in the 400m in Beijing last year.

Come-from-behind Mile win for Myers

The New York City Armory, which is celebrating its 100th Anniversary, is normally the place for fast and furious Miles. With the late withdrawal of defending New Balance Games champion and last year's world's fastest miler, Andy Baddeley of Great Britain, the race was wide open, and indeed it turned out to be so.

New Zealand's Max Smith led at 400m in 57.1, and continued to a 800m split of 1:57.5 with the only taker, fellow Kiwi, Adrian Blincoe. When Smith departed after 1000m, Blincoe was isolated from the pack by 10m. Then first, American Steve Scherer bridged up, followed by Briton Neil Speight and Rob Myers, the reigning American indoor 1500m champion. Through 1200m at 2:59.5, the group was coming, and at the bell, Scherer passed early leader Blincoe, with Myers and Speight lurking five meters behind. With 150m to go, the crowd was on their feet as Blincoe repassed Scherer and Myers gaining ever so slightly. Off the final turn, Myers proved to be the stronger winning just under the four-minute barrier. Myers' 3:59.92 was the 39th sub-four minute mile at the NYC Armory.

The Ohio State graduate has changed coaches and is now training under Ron Warhurst and with Olympic 1500m Bronze Medallist, Nick Willis of New Zealand.

Myers quipped, "I was clipped early on, and I decided to pace myself carefully back to the leaders. I knew there was a lot of talent at the race, and was very confident that my strength and speed would prevail."

The athletes delivered once again for meet organiser Ian Brooks, who had joked over dinner the night before that "it would be wonderful to have three coming off the last turn for the win."

In the men's 400m Clayton Parros, a high school student from Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, New Jersey, took the victory 47.58 in a late charge passing Anthony Campbell in the final metres.

Organisers for the IAAF