Grant Fisher Breaks 4:00 – Runs 3:59.38 To Become 6th American High Schooler To Break 4 In Mile

June 4, 2015

Two-time Foot Locker cross country champ Grant Fisher became just the 7th US high schooler (6th American) to break 4:00 in the mile as he ran 3:59.38 tonight at the St. Louis Festival of Miles to place third behind professional runners Jordan McNamara (3:58.81) and Tyler Pennell (3:58.99). Fisher’s time is the same time 19-year old Oregon high schooler Matthew Maton ran to break 4:00 a few weeks ago (May 8th).

The Race

Early on, Jordan McNamara went with the rabbit and had a gap on the field but Fisher’s splits were pretty even. He was just over 60 for 400, about 2:01 for 880 and just under 3:01 for 1209. He always had a lot of guys to race as he was in fifth or sixth for nearly the entire first three laps. At the bell, he was in fifth but had moved up to third with 200 to go. Halfway around the turn, Fisher moved into second but Pennell had a significant lead as he’d gapped the field, but the winner would end up being McNamara who went from third to first to get the win as Pennell tied up.

Results and a quick take below.

Results

Men 1 Mile Run SLTC =========================================================================         Meet: M 3:54.27  2014        Jordan McNamara                            14' Champion:   3:54.27  2014        Jordan McNamara                                Name                    Year School                  Seed     Finals  =========================================================================   1       McNamara, Jordan    UN Nike O.T.C.          3:52.42    3:58.81          1:00.527 (1:00.527)        2:01.028 (1:00.501)          3:00.963 (59.935)          3:58.805 (57.842)   2       Pennel, Tyler       UN Reebok/ZAP                      3:58.99          1:02.447 (1:02.447)          2:01.939 (59.492)          3:00.150 (58.211)          3:58.985 (58.835)  3      Fisher, Grant      SR Unattached           4:01.66    3:59.38     18 yrs, 44 days old        1:02.176 (1:02.176)          2:02.159 (59.983)          3:00.952 (58.793)          3:59.376 (58.424)   4       Dalquist, Austen    UN Unattached           4:02.36    4:00.66          1:02.508 (1:02.508)        2:02.551 (1:00.043)          3:01.941 (59.390)          4:00.654 (58.713)   5       Burkstrand, Travis  UN Brooks               4:00.01    4:01.12          1:01.725 (1:01.725)        2:02.266 (1:00.541)        3:02.442 (1:00.176)          4:01.115 (58.673)   6       Braun, Aaron        UN Adidas               4:01.43    4:01.59          1:02.025 (1:02.025)          2:01.407 (59.382)          3:00.398 (58.991)        4:01.581 (1:01.183)   7       Bolas, Jack         UN N.J.N.Y. T.C.        3:57.39    4:02.50          1:01.797 (1:01.797)          2:01.650 (59.853)          3:00.715 (59.065)        4:02.494 (1:01.779)   8       Fernandez, Eric     UN Hoka Naz. Elite                 4:03.71          1:02.351 (1:02.351)        2:02.836 (1:00.485)          3:02.285 (59.449)        4:03.705 (1:01.420)   9       Benson, Doug        UN T.R.Eugene                      4:05.78          1:01.979 (1:01.979)        2:03.032 (1:01.053)        3:04.117 (1:01.085)        4:05.779 (1:01.662)  10       Hudgins, Brandon    UN Loaded Anarchy       4:01.64    4:07.23          1:02.256 (1:02.256)          2:02.252 (59.996)        3:02.741 (1:00.489)        4:07.227 (1:04.486)  11       Schmitz, Tommy      UN Brooks/S.F.A.        3:56.45    4:07.81          1:02.871 (1:02.871)        2:03.263 (1:00.392)        3:03.702 (1:00.439)        4:07.807 (1:04.105)  12       Hoover, Caleb       UN Unattached                      4:07.84          1:03.140 (1:03.140)        2:04.053 (1:00.913)        3:05.723 (1:01.670)        4:07.838 (1:02.115)  13       Bruce, Ben          UN Hoka Naz. Elite                 4:09.83          1:02.656 (1:02.656)        2:04.301 (1:01.645)        3:07.830 (1:03.529)        4:09.824 (1:01.994)  --       Stockberger, Danie  UN Team Indiana         4:00.06        DNF          1:00.350 (1:00.350)        2:00.786 (1:00.436)

Quick Thought #1: Fisher is a STUD.

Not only is he a two-time Foot Locker champ – the only other American with that claim is Dathan Ritzenhein – he’s also moved up into the upper echelons of American HS mileing in terms of age. Fisher is more than a year younger than Maton. At age 18 and 44 days, Fisher joins an even more elite group of Americans who have broken four before they were 18 and 2 months olds. He joins Liquori, Webb and Ryun with that honor.

Age when they first broke 4 in HS:

Matthew Maton – 19 and 41 days

Tim Danielson – 18 and 190 days

Lukas Verzbicas – 18 and 156 days

Grant Fisher – 18 and 44 days.

Marty Liquori -18 and 19 days

Alan Webb – 18 and 7 days

Jim Ryun – 17 and 38 days

When Maton broke in May, 82% of LetsRun.com poll voters said they thought Fisher would beat Maton heads up but we won’t get to see that match-up at the adidas Dream Mile as Maton has pulled out injured.