Drew Hunter, Michael Slagowski Go Sub-4 at Prefontaine

Drew Hunter, Michael Slagowski Go Sub-4 at Prefontaine

While competing in the national mile at the Prefontaine Classic, Michael Slagowski broke four minutes for the second time this season. He is the first high

May 28, 2016 by Dennis Young
Drew Hunter, Michael Slagowski Go Sub-4 at Prefontaine
While competing in the national mile at the Prefontaine Classic, Michael Slagowski broke four minutes for the second time this season. He is the first high schooler to break four minutes twice in the same outdoor season since Jim Ryun did so in 1965, though Alan Webb broke 4:00 indoors and outdoors in 2001.

In the Bowerman Mile, Drew Hunter notched his first sub-4:00 outdoor performance with a 3:58.86 clocking. He finished behind three-time world champion Asbel Kiprop, who won the unevenly paced race in 3:51.54.  Hunter's 3:57 indoors had already made him the No. 3 high school performer ever behind Webb and Ryun. His 3:58 today made him the first high schooler other than Webb and Ryun to run under 3:59 outdoors and slotted him as the No. 3 all-time outdoor performer.

It was Kiprop's fourth Bowerman Mile victory. He was followed by Abdalaati Iguider in 3:51.96 and Elijah Motonei Manangoi in 3:52.39. Americans Ben Blankenship and Evan Jager finished in seventh (3:53) and eighth (3:54), respectively.

Hunter and Slagowski have an intriguing summer in front of them. Neither has qualified for the Olympic Trials 1500 yet, and they have not gone head to head yet. Brooks PR and the adidas BOOST Boston Games are both the June 17-18 weekend. High school track fans across the country hope they pick the same event at the same meet.

California senior Austin Tamagno ran 4:01.04 in the national race, drawing him tantalizingly close to becoming the tenth member of the high school sub-4:00 club. He's now the #13 performer of all time.