we have this wrote:
We have 18 year olds run 1:44 all the time. We just don’t have 17 year olds.
Brandon Miller ran 1:44 this year as an 18 year old.
Let’s make it clear—something like 75% of U.S. high schoolers turn 18 before June 1st of their graduating year.
Are you sure Miller was 18 and not 19 when he ran 1:44? I can’t find a DOB but I know he was 19 as of July 24, based on an old FloTrack article. Even if he was say 18 & 11 months (D.O.B. please), has there ever been another U.S. boy to run sub-1:46 before their 19th birthday?
In any event, why have guys like he and Brazier only run “truly” fast once in college, then? I suppose it’s primarily down to stronger training partners and competition. We know that exceptional high school kids can get into fast pro races, as in the cases of Knighton and Kessler, or Gorriaran and Willis on the girls’ side. But we don’t really see American boys running sub-1:47 to warrant their inclusion in such races.