This is a list of American high school students who have run a four-minute mile since the feat was first accomplished in 1964.
The first person to run the mile (1,760 yards, or 1,609.344 metres) in under four minutes was Roger Bannister in 1954, in a time of 3:59.4. This barrier would not be broken by a high school student until 1964, when Jim Ryun ran the distance in a time of 3:59.0 at the Compton Relays. Ryun went on to set a national high school record of 3:55.3, which stood until 2001 when it was broken by Alan Webb. Twenty-three U.S. high school students have run the mile in less than four minutes since 1964.
U.S. high school mile record holders
Jim Ryun
After setting the national high school record in the mile, Jim Ryun set the world record in 1966 and then again in 1967, when he ran 3:51.1. Ryun was 19 at the time, making him the youngest world record holder in the mile to date. His record stood for nine years. Ryun competed in the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympic games. He took silver in the men's 1500m at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Alan Webb
Alan Webb broke Ryun's 36-year old high school mile record (3:55.3), running 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic in 2001. Webb also ran what was then an American record in the mile, in 2007, at 3:46.91. Despite finding success in high school and on the track, Webb had an inconsistent career that was riddled with injuries, such as achilles tendonitis and a stress fracture in his foot and tibia.
Sub-four-minute mile runs by U.S. high school students
Name | Time | Date | Venue | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jim Ryun | 3:59.0 | June 5, 1964 | Compton Invitational | Los Angeles, California |
Jim Ryun | 3:58.3 | May 15, 1965 | KSHSAA Track and Field Championships | Wichita, Kansas |
Jim Ryun | 3:58.1 | May 29, 1965 | California Relays | Modesto, California |
Jim Ryun | 3:56.8 | June 4, 1965 | Compton Invitational | Los Angeles, California |
Jim Ryun | 3:55.3 | June 27, 1965 | AAU Track and Field Championships | San Diego, California |
Tim Danielson | 3:59.4 | June 11, 1966 | San Diego Invitational | San Diego, California |
Marty Liquori | 3:59.8 | June 23, 1967 | AAU Track and Field Championships | Bakersfield, California |
Alan Webb | 3:59.86 (indoors) | January 20, 2001 | New Balance Games | New York City, New York |
Alan Webb | 3:53.43 | May 27, 2001 | Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, Oregon |
Lukas Verzbicas | 3:59.71 | June 11, 2011 | Adidas Grand Prix | New York City, New York |
Matthew Maton | 3:59.38 | May 8, 2015 | Oregon Twilight Meet | Eugene, Oregon |
Grant Fisher | 3:59.38 | June 4, 2015 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Drew Hunter | 3:58.25 (indoors) | February 6, 2016 | Armory Track Invitational | New York City, New York |
Drew Hunter | 3:57.81 (indoors) | February 20, 2016 | NYRR Millrose Games | New York City, New York |
Michael Slagowski | 3:59.53 | April 29, 2016 | Jesuit Twilight Invitational | Portland, Oregon |
Reed Brown | 3:59.30 | June 1, 2017 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Leo Daschbach | 3:59.54 | May 23, 2020 | The Quarantine Clasico | El Dorado Hills, California |
Hobbs Kessler | 3:57.66 (indoors) | February 7, 2021 | American Track League Invitational | Fayetteville, Arkansas |
Colin Sahlman | 3:58.81 (indoors) | February 5, 2022 | Dr. Sander Invitational/Columbia Challenge | New York City, New York |
Gary Martin | 3:57.98 | May 14, 2022 | Philadelphia Catholic League Championships | Springfield, Pennsylvania |
Colin Sahlman | 3:56.24 | May 28, 2022 | Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, Oregon |
Gary Martin | 3:57.89 | June 2, 2022 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Connor Burns | 3:58.83 | June 2, 2022 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Rheinhardt Harrison | 3:59.33 | June 3, 2022 | Golden South Series #2 | Tarpon Springs, Florida |
Simeon Birnbaum | 3:59.51 | June 15, 2022 | Brooks PR Invitational | Seattle, Washington |
Connor Burns | 3:59.51 (indoors) | February 26, 2023 | Last Chance Indoor National Qualifier at BU | Boston, Massachusetts |
Rocky Hansen | 3:59.56 | April 30, 2023 | Virginia High Performance Meet | Charlottesville, Virginia |
Simeon Birnbaum | 3:57.53 | June 1, 2023 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Rocky Hansen | 3:58.24 | June 1, 2023 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Tinoda Matsatsa | 3:58.7 | June 1, 2023 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Jackson Heidesch | 3:59.08 | June 1, 2023 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
JoJo Jourdon | 3:59.87 (indoors) | February 3, 2024 | New Balance Indoor Grand Prix | Boston, Massachusetts |
Drew Griffith | 3:57.72 | May 30, 2024 | Festival of Miles | St. Louis, Missouri |
Drew Griffith | 3:59.00 | June 16, 2024 | New Balance Nationals Outdoor | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Zachary Hillhouse | 3:59.62 | June 16, 2024 | New Balance Nationals Outdoor | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Note: all of the above runners were high school seniors when they ran under four minutes for the mile except for Ryun in 1964, and Burns and Birnbaum in 2022, who were juniors at the time.
References
- "First Four-minute Mile". A&E Television Networks. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- Martin Fritz Huber (9 June 2017). "A Brief History of the Sub-4-Minute Mile". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- Camille Powell (28 May 2001). "Webb Sets High School Mile Record". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- Roger Robinson (15 July 2016). "Fifty Years Ago, the College Kid From Kansas Broke the World Record". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- Jeff Faraudo (30 April 2012). "American distance record-holder Alan Webb battles back from injuries". www.bringbackthemile. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ Ashley Freeby (16 June 2016). "Four Reasons Why More High Schoolers are Running Sub-4:00". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- "Four Reasons Why More High Schoolers are Running Sub-4:00" (PDF). 30 May 1965. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ^ "James Ronald "Jim" Ryun". 29 May 1965. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- "2016 Results - NYRR Millrose Games". 20 February 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- Scott, Dana (May 24, 2020). "Highland's Leo Daschbach runs rare sub-4 mile time in his final high school track and field race". Arizona Republic.
- Mull, Cory. "Hobbs Kessler Sets Insane Indoor National Mile Record". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- Mull, Cory. "Colin Sahlman Breaks 4, Becomes Third-Fastest In Mile Ever". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- Elvin, Gustav. "Archbishop Wood's Gary Martin runs sub 4-minute mile at the Philadelphia Catholic League championships". inquirer.com. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
- Ekpone, Olivia. "Colin Sahlman Does It Again, Clocks 3:56 Mile At Prefontaine". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- "St. Louis Track Club Men's Mile Results". stlfestivalofmiles.com. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
- "St. Louis Track Club Men's Mile Results". stlfestivalofmiles.com. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
- "Golden South Series #2 @ East Lake 2022 - Complete Results". flrunners.com. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
- "Track & Field and Cross Country Statistics". Athletic.net. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- "Track & Field and Cross Country Statistics". Athletic.net. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
- Tysiac, Ashley. "BREAKING: Rocky Hansen Joins Sub-4-Minute Mile Club". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
- "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
- "JoJo Jourdon Enters The Sub-4 Club In Boston". Milesplit United States. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- "Drew Griffith Shatters 4, Becomes Fifth Fastest Miler Ever". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
- "Drew Griffith ends High School Career with National Title". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- "Drew Griffith ends High School Career with National Title". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2024-06-18.