Posted: July 15, 2004

Athletics: Webb prep record named 23rd top moment in track & field of last 25 years

INDIANAPOLIS – Alan Webb setting the U.S. boys’ high school mile record in 2001 was honored by USA Track & Field on Thursday as the 23rd greatest moment in U.S track and field in the last 25 years.

To help mark the 25th anniversary of USA Track & Field, fans joined USATF in selecting the Top 25 Moments in American Track & Field during the past quarter century. Fans voted for what they consider to be the top moments in the sports of track & field, long-distance running, and race walking by voting online at USATF's website, www.usatf.org.

The final list of Top 25 Moments, to be announced each week throughout 2004, were selected by a panel of the sport’s experts in conjunction with fan voting. To be eligible for the Top 25 Moments list, the moments must have occurred between 1979-2004.

Webb set the U.S. men’s high school mile record time of 3 minutes, 53.43 seconds in the Bowerman mile at the 2001 Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

As an 18-year-old senior at South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., Webb broke Jim Ryun’s 36-year-old high school mile record of 3:55.3 by nearly two seconds. Clicking off even split times, Webb ran at the back of the pack through three laps before using a blazing effort on the final lap to place fifth overall. His performance was the best time by an American on U.S. soil in the mile since Richie Boulet ran 3:53.26 at the 1998 Prefontaine Classic.

In January of 2001, Webb became the first high-schooler ever to run a sub-four minute mile indoors at the New Balance Games in New York City (3:59.86) and the first prep athlete to run a sub-four minute mile since Marty Liquori did it outdoors in 1967.

Suggestions for USATF’s Top 25 Moments were taken through February 22, 2004. Fans voted for their favorite moments beginning February 28 and ending on June 20. The Top 25 Moments will be announced in reverse order, one per week, leading up to the USATF Annual Meeting in December, where the top three moments will be revealed.

For more information on USATF’ Top 25 Moments, visit www.usatf.org.

USATF Top 25 Moments

25. Jackie Joyner-Kersee breaks 7,000-point barrier in the heptathlon.

24. Khalid Khannouchi sets men’s world marathon record in 2002.

23. Alan Webb sets U.S. boys’ high school mile record.