Out of Nowhere - A New HS Superstar Miler - Rheinhardt Harrison

Grade 8: 4:55 (converted from 4:33 1500)

Grade 9: 4:12

Grade10: 4:01

jakob ran 3:56 at 16 and he ran 4:01 so It's kinda close..

Mosby wrote:

From Wikipedia:

“Track and Field News (T&FN) has tracked records by any American high school students, in any competition until they enter college. These records include marks made in open competition against higher-level competitors, post-season meets and international competition up until August 31 following their high-school graduation.”

Unfortunately this doesn’t address when a student technically transitions from one grade to the next. August 31 seems too late for that since many schools are back in session by that date.

Whether it counts as a sophomore record is kind of meaningless in assessing his long-term potential. He was born in February 2004 so him running a fast time in August is equivalent to someone with a birthday in December running fast in June.

DreamsOfHisOwn wrote:

jakob ran 3:56 at 16 and he ran 4:01 so It's kinda close..

Yes and Jakob has run 3:28.68 for 1500m at age 19, which is faster than any American or European has ever run the 1500m. It is very likely that Jakob himself will never run faster than that ever again.

Very unfair to compare anybody to Jakob.

True. About 1/2 of the sub 4 milers were old for their grade so they were much older than him in May of their sophomore track year.

ghguhu wrote:

DreamsOfHisOwn wrote:

jakob ran 3:56 at 16 and he ran 4:01 so It's kinda close..

Yes and Jakob has run 3:28.68 for 1500m at age 19, which is faster than any American or European has ever run the 1500m. It is very likely that Jakob himself will never run faster than that ever again.

Very unfair to compare anybody to Jakob.

Lagat has the American record at 3:27 something I think

Surprise! wrote:

ghguhu wrote:

Yes and Jakob has run 3:28.68 for 1500m at age 19, which is faster than any American or European has ever run the 1500m. It is very likely that Jakob himself will never run faster than that ever again.

Very unfair to compare anybody to Jakob.

Lagat has the American record at 3:27 something I think

Was your man lagat classified as American at that time?

RVK wrote:

Surprise! wrote:

Lagat has the American record at 3:27 something I think

Was your man lagat classified as American at that time?

Nope.

3:29.30 Bernard Lagat (Nike) 8/28/05

3:29.68 ————Lagat 8/27/06

3:29.77 Sydney Maree (Puma) 8/25/85

3:30.40 Matthew Centrowitz (Nike) 7/17/15

3:30.54 Alan Webb (Nike) 7/06/07

3:30.64 ————Lagat 7/01/05

3:30.90 Andrew Wheating (Oregon) 7/22/10

3:30.98 Leo Manzano (Hoka) 7/18/14

3:31.01 Jim Spivey (Athletics West) 8/28/88

3:31.04 ————Lagat 7/19/05

**10 performances by 7 performers**

3:31.52 Steve Holman (Reebok Enclave) 8/22/97

3:31.76 Steve Scott (Tiger TC) 7/16/85

3:31.93 David Krummenacker (adidas) 7/16/02

Let's hope he's the next Jakob Ingebritsen and not the next hs superstar washout.

Sounds like a kid gearing up to run 3:57 his senior year and then never run a better mark afterwards imo

Damn Wightman would almost have the American record.

Anyway, how does the best American runner now run slower than an young unknown Frenchman? Jocteur?

YMMV wrote:

RVK wrote:

Was your man lagat classified as American at that time?

Nope.

3:29.30 Bernard Lagat (Nike) 8/28/05

3:29.68 ————Lagat 8/27/06

3:29.77 Sydney Maree (Puma) 8/25/85

3:30.40 Matthew Centrowitz (Nike) 7/17/15

3:30.54 Alan Webb (Nike) 7/06/07

3:30.64 ————Lagat 7/01/05

3:30.90 Andrew Wheating (Oregon) 7/22/10

3:30.98 Leo Manzano (Hoka) 7/18/14

3:31.01 Jim Spivey (Athletics West) 8/28/88

3:31.04 ————Lagat 7/19/05

**10 performances by 7 performers**

3:31.52 Steve Holman (Reebok Enclave) 8/22/97

3:31.76 Steve Scott (Tiger TC) 7/16/85

3:31.93 David Krummenacker (adidas) 7/16/02

Lagat ran 3:26.3, but that’s before he was an American citizen, & there was some debate about a positive doping sample at the time. Anything under 3:30 is superb, a feat that Ryun, Webb, Centrowitz, & Scott all failed to achieve.

If you gave Ryun today’s tracks and pacing, he would’ve been the one to do it though I believe.

1967 Jim Ryun would run 3:27 or better on these tracks with adequate pacers, but Bernard Lagat was an American citizen in June 2004 before running 3:27, which is why it is the American record. No, he didn't publicly declare it and change his allegiance to the United States before the Athens Olympics, but almost anyone in his position would have done the same. He had been unable to compete at World's the previous year because Kenya withdrew his entry after a faulty A sample test before being exonerated by the more accurate B sample test. Then Kenya prevented him from running at World's in 2005 after his change of allegiance. So, he would have lost out from World's and Olympics at his peak. Indeed, he was still so good in 2007 that he was double world champion.

4000260 wrote:

Sounds like a kid gearing up to run 3:57 his senior year and then never run a better mark afterwards imo

Wow!! You got him running faster than any other H.S. kid in history other than Webb and Jim Ryun?!? But then, never again? Why? Jim & Alan ran even faster in H.S. And then ran even way faster after H.S.

Lagat was a US citizen when he ran 3:27 but he kept it secret so he wouldn't lose his Olympic eligibility that year. The USATF retroactively ratified this "record" a couple years ago.

DreamsOfHisOwn wrote:

jakob ran 3:56 at 16 and he ran 4:01 so It's kinda close..

This is true, but he ran 3:56 right before he turned 17, Rheinhardt has not even started his junior year and is probably several months out from when he turns 17. Jakob ran 3:42 (4:00 equivalent) with a big kick at 15 though, and 3:58 when we was still several months out from his 17th birthday, which is probably more like where Rheinhardt is now.

I hope he is the next great American. But I understand the skepticism. He was racing 1/2 marathons at 10 years old. Ryun didn't even run until age 14 and Webb was swimming. And even Ryun and Webb did not have lengthy careers. The US freshmen record holder in the 1600 has barely run faster 8 years later. 1/2 of the sub 4 guys were not successful after. Let's hope this kid is more like the Ingebrigtsens.

Now that you mention it, I now remember USATF doing that a few years ago. They really doubled-down on their idiocy with that one. That whole period of Lagat's career is shameful (and yes, like everyone else, I really like his personality, but it does not put him above the rules).