Posted: May 11, 2004

Athletics: Rupp runs fast mile at Nike

2003 Pan Am Junior 5,000m champ and prep sensation Galen Rupp posted the eighth-fastest American high school mile time ever last Friday at the Nike corporate campus in Beaverton, Ore.

At an event held to commemorate Roger Bannister’s historic breaking of the four-minute barrier entitled the Nike Invitational Mile, Rupp ran with 12 of the nation’s finest middle distance runners and finished seventh in 4 minutes, 1.8 seconds. 2000 Olympian Michael Stember won the contest in 3:59.4, the exact time Bannister ran in bettering four minutes for the first time in history 50 years ago.

A senior at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Ore., Rupp broke the all-time state record in the mile, held by Dirk Lakeman of South Eugene, who posted a 4:04.9 at the 1977 Prefontaine Classic. Prior to completing the mile, Rupp also broke Lakeman’s 1,500m state record with his clocking of 3:45.3. Lakeman’s previous 1,500m record was 3:46.8.

From USATF.org.