Distance stars to appear in festival Greely’s True is top seed in boys’ mile; Jacobs has shot at 1,500 mark

Some of the world’s best athletes and many of Maine’s best will be assembled at Bowdoin College in Brunswick for the 10th annual Maine Distance Festival on Saturday, July 5.

The event kicks off with the girls high school 800 meters at 5 p.m. Gates open at 4 p.m.

Many top Maine high school athletes will again be competing. Deering of Portland’s Mike Burleson is seeded second in the 800 at 1 minute, 56 seconds, where he is joined by teammate Brian Vail. Top-seeded Russell Brown from Hanover, N.H., could break the meet record of 1:52.89, set last year by Canada’s Nolan Fyfe. Brown has clocked a 1:50.

Ben True from Greely of Cumberland Center is the top seed and favorite in the boys high school mile, where he has a shot at the meet record of 4:15.64, set in 1999 by former Edward Little of Auburn standout Ben Fletcher. True was the New England Outdoor Mile Champion in 4:12.38. Other Maine milers include Eric Giddings of South Portland, Brandon Bonsey of Falmouth and Sam Crocker of North Yarmouth Academy.

On the girls’ side, Shelly Estes of Hampden and Central of Corinth’s Casey Davis are local favorites in the girls’ 800, while Cassie Hintz of Old Town will run the mile. Other Maine runners include Thornton Academy’s Kathleen Rice, South Portland’s Missy Gagnier and Leavitt of Turner’s Allison Kenney in the 800. Greely’s Gessy Lepage, Marshwood of Eliot’s Julia Tomanio and Gorham’s Elissa Gervais will join Hintz in the mile.

For the elite women, Regina Jacobs of the U.S. is the top seed in the women’s 1,500, where she is looking to break the meet record of 4:06.42 set by Marla Runyon while Mexico’s Adrienne Fernandez, the Beach to Beacon 10K winner from a year ago, holds the top mark in the 3,000.

Meanwhile, former Ellsworth and current Stanford standout Louie Luchini will run in the 5,000. Since no American men have qualifying times for the World Championships in Paris in August, the 2-mile was dropped from the Festival and the 5,000 was added, according to meet director Steve Podgajny.

Jesse Strutzel, who holds the meet record in the 800 (1:45.81), will also run. He was fifth in last week’s USA Outdoor Championships at Stanford in 1:47.26. He’ll have good company in Zach Whitemarsh of Canada, who has run in the low 1:45s, according to Podgajny.

The meet will be televised on Fox Sports Net New England on Wednesday, July 16 at 3 p.m. and Tuesday, July 22 at 11 a.m.

Tickets before the meet are $5 for adults, $2 for students, and no charge for children 12 and under. Tickets are available at Downeast Building Supply in Brunswick and Sports East in the Topsham Fair Mall. Tickets can be obtained at the meet for $7 (adults), $3 (students), and no charge for children 12 and under. All proceeds benefit Maine Special Olympics.

Finishing Kick: If you’re looking for a race this weekend, you have a couple of options on Saturday. The 22nd annual Pottle Hill Road Race will be held at Mechanic Falls, with a 1-mile fun run at 8:30 a.m., a 5K at 9 a.m., and a 10K at 9:15. The Tour du Lac 10-miler will be contested in Bucksport at 7:30 a.m., starting at the town swimming pool.