FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
B.A.A. Elevates Samuel Ellison, Christian Harrison
to High Performance Team
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced the
addition of Samuel Ellison and Christian Harrison to the B.A.A. High
Performance Team roster. Ellison and Harrison both are familiar faces to
B.A.A. fans, having proudly competed as members of the B.A.A. Racing Team
in recent years. Both Ellison and Harrison will continue to be coached by
Ricardo Santos.
"Sam and Christian have sported our B.A.A. unicorn logo to great success,"
said Wayne Levy, Director of Athletic Performance for the B.A.A. "They
chose the B.A.A. Racing Team to hone their skills on the track, and their
performances have showcased each athlete's growth and potential. We can't
wait to see what they do with the full force of the B.A.A. High Performance
team support."
As part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both Ellison and Harrison will
receive advanced support and coaching from the B.A.A. and will travel with
the team to training camps throughout the year. The objective of the
B.A.A.'s High Performance team is to support American runners on their way
towards making international teams, with the goal of competing at the
highest level: the Olympic Games and IAAF World Championships. The B.A.A.
is sponsored by adidas, which provides comprehensive support for the
running club, Team B.A.A., and its events.
"Joining the B.A.A. High Performance Team has been a dream of mine for a
long time," said Ellison. "I am looking forward to representing the B.A.A.
in this greater capacity."
Originally from Dresher, Pennsylvania, Ellison is a graduate of Villanova
University and the University of Birmingham (UK). He was a six-time NCAA
All-American on the track. Ellison has seen post-collegiate success on the
track, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 USATF Indoor Championships
in the 600m (1:15.20, a personal best). Ellison also placed third at the
2019 Millrose Games 800m in a lifetime best of 1:46.13 and was second at
the 2018 SC Track Fest 800m in 1:46.20. Ellison held the 2018 world lead
over 500 meters indoors thanks to his 1:00.92 performance at the Boston
University Scarlet & White Invitational in February. Away from the track,
he most recently held the role of Senior Administrator at The Partnership,
Inc. Fans of Samuel can follow his training at @SamuelRWEllison on Twitter.
Christian Harrison shares Ellison's enthusiasm on joining the B.A.A. High
Performance Team. "I am very excited to continue my professional running
with a great group," said Harrison. "I have great training partners to run
with, a great coach to train under, and great support from the B.A.A."
Originally from Glenarden, Maryland, Harrison attended North Carolina A&T
and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016. An NCAA All-American,
he is a 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifier and five-time U.S. Championship
Qualifier. Harrison's lifetime bests include a 1:46.69 for 800m and 1:46.83
for 800m indoors, the latter set last year en route to winning the Boston
University Last Chance Qualifier meet. During the 2019 indoor track season,
Harrison set a personal best of 2:23.12 for 1000m indoors at the USATF
Indoor Championships. Fans of Christian can follow his training at
@ChristianCash on Instagram.
In addition to racing as part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both
Ellison and Harrison have taken part in the B.A.A.'s various youth and
community engagement initiatives to help spread the importance of healthy
lifestyles.
To learn more about all B.A.A. athletes, follow @teamBAA on Instagram and
on Twitter.
A full list of B.A.A. High Performance Team Members can be found below.
Trevor Dunbar
Samuel Ellison
Dana Giordano
Kaitlin Goodman
Christian Harrison
Lauren Johnson
Erika Kemp
Katie Matthews
Samantha Nadel
Elaina Tabb
Jacob Thomson
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through
sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John
Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors,
along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and
New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A. events
in 2019. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org. For
more information on the B.A.A. club, Racing Team and High Performance
group, visit www.teambaa.org.
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