List of American high school students who have run a four-minute mile

This is a list of American high school students who have run a four-minute mile since the feat was first accomplished in 1964.

Alan Webb, the U.S. national and high school record holder

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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] Twenty one U.S. high school students have run the mile in less than four minutes since 1964.

U.S. high school mile record holders edit

Jim Ryun edit

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.[4] 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 edit

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.[5]

Sub-four-minute mile runs by U.S. high school students edit

Name Time Date Venue Location
Jim Ryun 3:59.0[6] June 5, 1964 Compton Invitational Los Angeles, California
Jim Ryun 3:58.3[7] May 15, 1965 KSHSAA Track and Field Championships Wichita, Kansas
Jim Ryun 3:58.1[8] May 29, 1965 California Relays Modesto, California
Jim Ryun 3:56.8[8] June 4, 1965 Compton Invitational Los Angeles, California
Jim Ryun 3:55.3[6] June 27, 1965 AAU Track and Field Championships San Diego, California
Tim Danielson 3:59.4[6] June 11, 1966 San Diego Invitational San Diego, California
Marty Liquori 3:59.8[6] June 23, 1967 AAU Track and Field Championships Bakersfield, California
Alan Webb 3:59.86 (indoors)[6] January 20, 2001 New Balance Games New York City, New York
Alan Webb 3:53.43[6] May 27, 2001 Prefontaine Classic Eugene, Oregon
Lukas Verzbicas 3:59.71[6] June 11, 2011 Adidas Grand Prix New York City, New York
Matthew Maton 3:59.38[6] May 8, 2015 Oregon Twilight Meet Eugene, Oregon
Grant Fisher 3:59.38[6] June 4, 2015 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Drew Hunter 3:58.25 (indoors)[6] February 6, 2016 Armory Track Invitational New York City, New York
Drew Hunter 3:57.81 (indoors)[9] February 20, 2016 NYRR Millrose Games New York City, New York
Michael Slagowski 3:59.53[6] April 29, 2016 Jesuit Twilight Invitational Portland, Oregon
Reed Brown 3:59.30[6] June 1, 2017 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Leo Daschbach 3:59.54[10] May 23, 2020 The Quarantine Clasico El Dorado Hills, California
Hobbs Kessler 3:57.66 (indoors)[11] February 7, 2021 American Track League Invitational Fayetteville, Arkansas
Colin Sahlman 3:58.81 (indoors)[12] February 5, 2022 Dr. Sander Invitational/Columbia Challenge New York City, New York
Gary Martin 3:57.98[13] May 14, 2022 Philadelphia Catholic League Championships Springfield, Pennsylvania
Colin Sahlman 3:56.24[14] May 28, 2022 Prefontaine Classic Eugene, Oregon
Gary Martin 3:57.89[15] June 2, 2022 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Connor Burns 3:58.83[16] June 2, 2022 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Rheinhardt Harrison 3:59.33[17] June 3, 2022 Golden South Series #2 Tarpon Springs, Florida
Simeon Birnbaum 3:59.51[18] June 15, 2022 Brooks PR Invitational Seattle, Washington
Connor Burns 3:59.51 (indoors)[19] February 26, 2023 Last Chance Indoor National Qualifier at BU Boston, Massachusetts
Rocky Hansen 3:59.56[20] April 30, 2023 Virginia High Performance Meet Charlottesville, Virginia
Simeon Birnbaum 3:57.53 [21] June 1, 2023 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Rocky Hansen 3:58.24 [22] June 1, 2023 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Tinoda Matsatsa 3:58.7 [23] June 1, 2023 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
Jackson Heidesch 3:59.08 [24] June 1, 2023 Festival of Miles St. Louis, Missouri
JoJo Jourdon 3:59.87 (indoors)[25] February 3, 2024 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Boston, Massachusetts


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 edit

  1. ^ "First Four-minute Mile". A&E Television Networks. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  2. ^ Martin Fritz Huber (9 June 2017). "A Brief History of the Sub-4-Minute Mile". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  3. ^ Camille Powell (28 May 2001). "Webb Sets High School Mile Record". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  4. ^ Roger Robinson (15 July 2016). "Fifty Years Ago, the College Kid From Kansas Broke the World Record". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  5. ^ Jeff Faraudo (30 April 2012). "American distance record-holder Alan Webb battles back from injuries". www.bringbackthemile. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ashley Freeby (16 June 2016). "Four Reasons Why More High Schoolers are Running Sub-4:00". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Four Reasons Why More High Schoolers are Running Sub-4:00" (PDF). 30 May 1965. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  8. ^ a b "James Ronald "Jim" Ryun". 29 May 1965. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  9. ^ "2016 Results - NYRR Millrose Games". 20 February 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Mull, Cory. "Hobbs Kessler Sets Insane Indoor National Mile Record". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  12. ^ Mull, Cory. "Colin Sahlman Breaks 4, Becomes Third-Fastest In Mile Ever". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  13. ^ Elvin, Gustav. "Archbishop Wood's Gary Martin runs sub 4-minute mile at the Philadelphia Catholic League championships". inquirer.com. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  14. ^ Ekpone, Olivia. "Colin Sahlman Does It Again, Clocks 3:56 Mile At Prefontaine". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  15. ^ "St. Louis Track Club Men's Mile Results". stlfestivalofmiles.com. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  16. ^ "St. Louis Track Club Men's Mile Results". stlfestivalofmiles.com. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  17. ^ "Golden South Series #2 @ East Lake 2022 - Complete Results". flrunners.com. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  18. ^ "Track & Field and Cross Country Statistics". Athletic.net. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  19. ^ "Track & Field and Cross Country Statistics". Athletic.net. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  20. ^ Tysiac, Ashley. "BREAKING: Rocky Hansen Joins Sub-4-Minute Mile Club". MileSplit United States. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  21. ^ "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  22. ^ "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  23. ^ "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  24. ^ "Hoka Festival of Miles 2023 Results". tfmeetpro.com. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  25. ^ "JoJo Jourdon Enters The Sub-4 Club In Boston". Milesplit United States. Retrieved 2024-02-06.