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

by LetsRun.com
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 Pennel (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 8).

The Race

Early on, 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 yards 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 Pennel 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 Pennel 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  
       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.

Article continues below player.

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 miling in terms of age. Fisher is more than a year younger than Maton. At 18 years and 44 days, Fisher joins an even more elite group of Americans who have broken four before they were 18 years 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 matchup at the adidas Dream Mile as Maton has pulled out injured.

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Video of the finish:

Flotrack caught up with Fisher after the race:

Discuss this race in our forum: Grant Fisher does it – Runs 3:59.38!!
*Grant Fisher Flotrack Interview

A few screenshots from the Flotrack pro broadcast. Click for a larger image.

Fisher pre-race Fisher pre-race
The final 100 The final 100
Go Fisher Go Fisher
FIsher does it FIsher does it
Grant Fisher (r) after breaking four Grant Fisher (r) after breaking four
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