Birthday: 12/07/91 Mile PR: 3:46.67 (road) - 2022
Metric Mile (1500m) PR: 3:34.35 - 2023
High School: Seekonk HS '09
Hometown: Seekonk, MA
College: Columbia University '14 / University of Oregon 1 year graduate program
Current Residence: Boston, MA
Johnny Gregorek four-peated, with a final surge at the finish line, at the 2024 Guardian Mile, winning in 4:00 (3:59.96).
In 2023, he three-peated at the 2023 Guardian Mile in Cleveland, breaking the tape in 3:53, and in August, won the Falmouth Elite Mile in 3:53.57.
In 2022, Johnny won the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, under blustery conditions in Boston, crossing the finish line in 4:08.16, and in July, Johnny defended his Guardian Mile title in 3:46.67 (3:47), bettering his Ohio soil fastest Mile mark..
He finished fourth in the 1500m at the 2021 USATF Golden Games at Mt. SAC, clocking 3:36.93, and in July, he won the Guardian Mile in Cleveland, running the fastest Mile on Ohio soil in 3:49.07 (3:50).
In May 2020, Gregorek ran the fastest Mile in blue jeans, running 4:06.25, to raise more than $37,000 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and in September at the Bethel Twilight Meet, he won the 1500 meters in 3:36.11, close to his personal record.
On March 3, 2019, he became the second American sub-3:50 indoors, clocking 3:49.98 in Boston at the Bruce Lehane Invitational Mile; runner-up to Yomif Kejelcha's world record 3:47.01! In August, he won the 1500 meter silver medal at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
Gregorek had a breakthrough year in 2017 as he qualified for his first international team at the USATF Outdoor Championships when he unleashed a monster kick to move from 10th place to place third for the final qualifying Team USA spot, recording 3:43.99. In his build-up to the IAAF World Championships, Johnny won the Tracktown 1500m in 3:35.00 on July 6 to set a personal record, showing he was ready to compete at the highest level. In the London World Championships men’s 1500m final, Gregorek, the only American, finished 10th in 3:37.56.
Before going pro, Johnny had a successful collegiate career at Columbia University and after completing his undergraduate degree, competed for two seasons with the Oregon Ducks. At the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships, he placed 6th in the Mile with a time of 4:04.36, earning first team All-American.
Johnny broke 4 minutes for the first time on February 14, 2015 at the Millrose Games famed Wanamaker Mile, finishing 10th in 3:57.47 to join a short list of father / son combos (#9) to break the coveted sub-4 minute Mile mark with his father and 1984 Olympian John Gregorek, Sr. who recorded a 3:51.34 Mile personal record in 1982.
At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Gregorek placed 6th, clocking 3:38.76.
On February 26, 2017 at Boston University, John Gregorek Jr. & Sr. would become the fastest father / son Mile duo when Johnny ran a 3:53.15 PR for a 3:52.25 duo average (since improved to 3:50.66). Johnny’s mother Chris is also speedy with a 4:29.00 Mile PR, and the trio own the fastest family Mile, averaging 4:03.38.
FUN FACT I: Gregorek was his high school class valedictorian and also an Eagle Scout.
FUN FACT II: At 6'5", he is one of the tallest world class Milers all-time.
FUN FACT III: On December 19, 2015 at Boston University, Johnny recorded the first indoor sub-4 minute Mile ever run in the month of December with his 3:58.15.
Photo credit: Kevin Morris
Men's champion, Gregorek, four-peats at 6th edition; $25,000 in prize money awarded
By Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND — Fractions of a second separated the winners in both the Elite men’s and women’s race at the 2024 Guardian Mile, held across the iconic Hope Memorial Bridge in...
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Commonwealth Games champion to face formidable international field on Saturday, February 11 at the 115th Millrose Games; NBC live broadcast from 4:00pm to 6:00pm EST
From Millrose Games
The 115th Millrose Games will take place on Saturday, February 11th, exactly one month from today, at the...
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Nick Willis’ record 19th consecutive year sub-4, Hobbs Kessler – 12th U.S. high schooler sub-4 – sets prep indoor Mile record, two more father-son sub-4 combo club members and NCAA Indoor champion Cole Hocker leads youth charge highlight another pandemic year
By Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile...
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Whoever shows up on the starting line at Hayward Field, rest assured the guys will put on a great show at the U.S. Olympic Trials
By Jeff Hollobaugh, Track & Field News
It's not outlandish to project that one of the most-anticipated events at June’s U.S. Olympic Trials will be the men’s 1500....
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Drake Blue Oval Showcase presented by Mediacom hosts title tilt with stadium finish; $10,000 prize purse
From Drake Relays
Despite a four-month postponement, Des Moines will reprise its role as the host of the USA Track & Field 1 Mile Road Championship when the nation's best Milers compete...
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“I believe I can make the Olympics team and I know I can compete on that stage, but I’m approaching it with a more healthy, broad mindset of I just want to be the best runner I can be.”
By Chris Chavez, Sports Illustrated
Thirteen months ago, Johnny Gregorek was still reveling in arguably the...
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Longstanding indoor and outdoor Mile world records broken; Herrera & Kampf BBTM Grand Prix Tour champions and more BBTM Effect!
By Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile
The Bring Back the Mile campaign was launched in January 2012 to elevate & celebrate the storied distance, and over the past 8...
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"Running is woven into everything in my life. It stabilizes everything else... You learn so much that you pull into your personal life about staying calm and happy and living each moment, being there and being present.”
By Cathal Dennehy, Runner's World
Running is a sport of contrasts and...
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Loaded field at 20th edition features six men with sub-3:50 Mile PRs including American Johnny Gregorek
From Prefontaine Classic
STANFORD, Calif. - On Sunday, June 30 at Cobb Track & Angell Field, the world’s best Milers will bring their rivalry to the Prefontaine Classic for the meet’s...
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From a 4:15 HS Mile to sub-3:50 at age 27: "Coach Gags reached out and gave me an opportunity and ASICS was generous enough to sponsor me."
By Jeff Hollobaugh, Track & Field News
“I shocked myself pretty bad with that one,” says Johnny Gregorek, who scared the indoor U.S. Mile record with his...
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Ethiopian breaks legend Hicham El Guerrouj's 22-year-old record; American Johnny Gregorek runner-up also sub-3:50
From IAAF
Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha smashed the world indoor record for the Mile, clocking 3:47.01 at the Bruce Lehane Invitational in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sunday afternoon,...
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When I ran faster and did the 3:53 and my dad & I had the fastest combined Mile time was way more exciting & dramatic than my first sub-4 which was sort of lackluster.
By Gary Cohen
Johnny Gregorek was a member of the 2017 World Championships team and finished in 10th place with a time of...
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Breaking 4 minutes, as well as lowering my PR to become the fastest duo along with my father, was a great feeling.
By Stephen Mazzone, MileSplit MA
For 10 days beginning on Aug. 4, some of the best athletes in the world will be competing in London at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships....
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Gregoreks pass Keinos, now #1 combo: “When we found out we got the fastest combination we were kind of laughing about it—it’s a fun bragging rights thing.”
By Erin Strout, Runner's World
Johnny Gregorek, a member of the New Jersey-New York Track Club, knew the indoor Mile race at Boston...
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Top 10 talented track tandems span over a 30-plus year period
By Bring Back the Mile
The recent marriage of top Mile athletes Aisha Praught & Will Leer prompted BBTM to compile a list of the fastest married couples in the Mile. Sitting at the top of the talented tandems are three-time U.S....
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To-date, only eight father / son combos have broken 4 minutes for the storied distance
By Bring Back the Mile
On February 14, 2015 at the venerable NYRR Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile, John "Johnny" Gregorek, Jr. (right) finished 10th in 3:57.47 for his first sub-4 minute Mile to join his...
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Milepalooza 2015 showcased the appeal and excitement of the storied distance on Valentine’s Day
By Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile
This past Saturday, February 14, 2015 was, in totality, one of the greatest days in Mile history, particularly indoors. Consider the following in a day of Mile...
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