Interesting question brought up below about the fastest mile run by a Bay Area/NorCal athlete. I answered below that Matt Giusto ran 3:55.63 at Kezar Stadium in 1993. Is there someone else that has run faster?
There have been 558 American males who have run sub 4 minute miler with the first being Don Bowden's 3:58.7 in 1957. Bowden of course attended Lincoln HS in San Jose and then Cal Berkeley.
Some more additions. From the comment section below, German Fernandez ran 3:55.02 as an 18-year-old at Oklahoma St. He also ran 3:34.60 in the 1500m after he graduated from Oklahoma St.
It looks like the winner so far thanks to Mike Fanelli is Richie Boulet (Drake HS/Cal Berkeley) ran 3:53.25. Coach Boulet now coaches at Oakland Tech HS and you can find an interview I did with him at this link:
https://ca.milesplit.com/articles/260207/interview-with-oakland-tech-coach-richie-boulet
A late addition, Doug Padilla ran 3:54.2 in 1989.
Just wondering after reading the Cooper ran 3:55, who has the fastest time in the mile for any Bay area / Norcal runner? Any idea Albert or anyone ?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I know Matt Giusto (San Mateo HS/University of Arizona) ran 3:55.63 at Kezar in 1993.
ReplyDeleteYou can check out that race on YouTube at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6nj0ZDloxo
I would have to look at the all-time list of sub 4 minute milers to see if there is anybody else. Is there someone else aside from Teare and Giusto that is faster in the mile from the Bay Area/NorCal?
Like Don Bowden 3:58.70 in 1957? :-)
ReplyDeleteMichael Stember (J-High '96) ran 3:35.11 in the 1500, which converts to 3:52.32, but i don't know his mile PR
ReplyDeleteDon Bowden was the first American to break the 4-minute mile.
ReplyDeleteAs for Stember, another good addition. I looked up his PRs and it looks like his fastest outdoor mile was 3:59.20 and his fastest indoor mile was 3:58.40. The link to those marks is here: https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/michael-stember-131471.
Obviously, his 1500 time is superior to both those mile times.
German Fernandez ran 3:55.02 at age 18 (he was young for his grade!) to win the 2009 Big 12 Indoor title at A&M.
ReplyDeleteFernandez also ran 3:34.60 for 1500 in Berlin in 2012, the summer after graduating from Ok State.
ReplyDeleteDoug Padilla (Marina HS, San Leandro; Chabot JC) ran 3:54.2 in '89 in Westwood.
ReplyDeleteAre all Sac Joaquin Section schools considered Norcal? If so, Atwater Alum, Abraham Alvarado broke 4 last month.
ReplyDelete