High School Runners Who Have Run Under a Four Minute Mile

Jim Ryun of Wichita, Kansas, became the first high school boy to run a sub-4:00 mile, breaking the barrier in 1964. For the next 51 years, only four additional high schoolers added their names to the prestigious shortlist. But since 2015—whether because of better coaches, improved shoe technology, or the rise of online training resources—the list has more than tripled.

At New Balance Nationals Outdoor on June 15, Drew Griffith and Zach Hillhouse dipped under the 4:00 barrier in the championship section of the mile. Griffith, who’s from Pennsylvania, won the race in 3:59.00—his second sub-4 performance after running 3:57.72 at the Hoka Festival of Miles on May 30. Hillhouse of Utah finished close behind in 3:59.62, over a 6-second personal best. Next year, Griffith will attend Notre Dame, and Hillhouse is signed to compete for BYU.

Multiple names on the high school sub-4:00 list went on to accomplish big things in their professional careers. Ryun broke multiple world records and earned an Olympic medal in the 1500 meters. Alan Webb of Reston, Virginia, owned the American mile record for 16 years and still has the high school mile record. Grant Fisher of Grand Blanc, Michigan, has broken American records in the outdoor 10,000-meters and 5,000-meters. Will any of the recent sub-4:00 performers reach similar heights? Only time will tell.