High schooler runs sub-4 minute mile, breaks file that had stood since 1965

Gary Martin, a senior at Archbishop Wood Excessive College Warminster, Penn., broke a prestigious track and field record on the Pennsylvania Catholic League Championship on Monday by working a mile in underneath 4 minutes. Martin's run broke a record that had stood for nearly 60 years.

Martin ran a mile in 3:57:98 without assistance from a pacer, breaking a report that had been set by Jim Ryun in 1965.

Ryun turned the first excessive schooler to run a mile in beneath 4 minutes in 1964, then broke his own record five times before graduating. Ryun's time of report was 3:58.3, a mark which Martin broke by lower than a second.

Martin is now the 14th American highschool athlete to interrupt four minutes, and his time now ranks third all-time in outdoor runs. It must be famous, although, that Ryun was the one athlete to take action in high school-only competitors, without the use of a pacer.

Martin's run was a significant milestone he prepares to attend the University of Virginia upon graduation. Talking about his long-term targets, Martin hopes to grow to be an Olympic athlete.

"I'd like to suppose that it isn't crazy for me to say that it is a dream now," Martin advised CBS Information. "Clearly, I am nonetheless a protracted ways away and have some work to do, but I am confident in my ability. I have the dream, now I simply should put the work in and chase it."

Primarily based on his beating Ryun's mark, Martin's desires may very properly be in reach. After his record run within the Sixties, Ryun went on to compete in three Olympic finals, successful silver in 1500m in the course of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.