Sub-4:30 Women’s List
Chronological Listing of U.S. Women Who Have Broken 4:30 in the Mile
as of August 24, 2024
The mark listed for each U.S. athlete is her first-ever sub-4:30 Mile as a U.S. citizen. Performance also must be run in a Mile track race – indoors or outdoors. Since 1975, to-date, 118 U.S. women, including only two high schoolers, Mary Cain and Sadie Engelhardt, have broken 4 minutes, 30 seconds in the Mile. NOTE: women have had much fewer opportunities to run the Mile than men over the past 45-plus years.
On February 15, 1975, Francie Larrieu (pictured right) became the first U.S. woman to break 4:30 for the Mile and Shannon Rowbury’s 4:20.34 on September 7, 2008 in Rieti, Italy is the fastest debut sub-4:30 Mile by a U.S. woman. On February 4, 2023, Emily Mackay earned the milestone as the 100th American woman sub-4:30.
2024 has produced the most new sub-4:30 U.S. members, 12 women so far, respectively, in the same year (previous record = 11 in 2023). Since 2012, first-time U.S. women to this select club have averaged 5 per year compared to only 1 per year from 1975-2011 (BBTM Effect).
The Sir Walter Miler in Raleigh, NC has produced 19 first time sub-4:30 U.S. women, the most all-time at one race.
Additions and corrections are welcome at: milemaniac@bringbackthemile.com
i = indoors
YEAR / NAME | TIME | PLACE | LOCATION | DATE |
1975 | ||||
1) Francie Larrieu | 4:29.0i | 1 | San Diego | February 15 |
1979 | ||||
2) Mary Decker | 4:23.49 | 1 | Philadelphia | June 30 |
3) Jan Merrill | 4:28.23 | 3 | Philadelphia | June 30 |
1982 | ||||
4) Cindy Bremser | 4:29.21 | 1 | Westwood | May 16 |
1984 | ||||
5) Ruth Wysocki | 4:21.78 | 1 | London | September 7 |
1985 | ||||
6) Suzanne Girard | 4:28.65 | 4 | Edinburgh | July 23 |
7) Chris Gregorek | 4:29.00 | 4 | Oslo | July 27 |
1986 | ||||
8) Sue Addison | 4:23.93 | 2 | Nice | July 15 |
9) Claudette Groenendaal | 4:25.29 | 8 | Brussels | September 5 |
1987 | ||||
10) Linda Sheskey | 4:29.09 | 1 | Eugene | June 6 |
11) Diana Richburg | 4:25.77 | 1 | London | July 10 |
12) Mary Knisely | 4:28.49 | 5 | London | July 10 |
1988 | ||||
13) Vicki Huber | 4:28.31i | 3 | New York | February 5 |
1989 | ||||
14) Suzy Favor | 4:27.31 | 1 | Westwood | August 6 |
15) PattiSue Plumer | 4:29.21 | 2 | Westwood | August 6 |
1990 | ||||
16) Lynn Jennings | 4:24.14 | 3 | Oslo | July 14 |
17) Gina Procaccio | 4:24.85 | 5 | Oslo | July 14 |
1991 | ||||
18) Annette Peters, oldest, age 35 | 4:29.63 | 9 | Oslo | July 6 |
1992 | ||||
19) Shelly Steely | 4:25.49 | 3 | Sheffield | August 14 |
1993 | ||||
20) Ceci St. Geme | 4:27.0 | 1 | Los Gatos | June 24 |
1995 | ||||
21) Regina Jacobs | 4:26.54i | 1 | Atlanta | March 4 |
1997 | ||||
22) Juli Henner | 4:26.91 | 2 | Linz | July 9 |
23) Amy Wickus | 4:27.68 | 3 | Linz | July 9 |
1998 | ||||
24) Alisa Harvey | 4:29.65 | 7 | Uniondale | July 20 |
1999 | ||||
25) Amy Rudolph | 4:27.66 | 7 | Nice | July 17 |
26) Sarah Thorsett | 4:28.42 | 9 | Nice | July 17 |
2003 | ||||
27) Mary Jane Harrelson | 4:29.10 | 1 | Falmouth | August 9 |
2006 | ||||
28) Treniere Clement | 4:29.93i | 2 | Boston | January 29 |
29) Carrie Tollefson | 4:27.96 | 1 | Falmouth | August 12 |
30) Erin Donohue | 4:28.99 | 2 | Falmouth | August 12 |
31) Tiffany McWilliams | 4:29.56 | 3 | Falmouth | August 12 |
2008 | ||||
32) Christin Wurth-Thomas | 4:27.18i | 1 | Fayetteville | February 15 |
33) Shannon Rowbury, fastest U.S. first sub-4:30 | 4:20.34 | 3 | Rieti | September 7 |
34) Anna Willard | 4:28.37 | 11 | Rieti | September 7 |
35) Lindsay Gallo | 4:28.90 | 13 | Rieti | September 7 |
2009 | ||||
36) Jenny Barringer | 4:25.91i | 1 | College Station | February 28 |
37) Sarah Bowman | 4:29.72i | 1 | College Station | March 14 |
2012 | ||||
38) Katie Flood | 4:28:48i | 2 | Seattle | February 11 |
39) Brenda Martinez | 4:26.78 | 1 | Falmouth | August 11 |
40) Gabriele Anderson | 4:27.94 | 2 | Falmouth | August 11 |
41) Kim Conley | 4:27.23 | 1 | Leuven | August 18 |
2013 | ||||
42) Mary Cain, youngest, age 16, high schooler | 4:28:25i | 2 | New York | February 16 |
43) Kate Grace | 4:28:79i | 3 | New York | February 16 |
44) Emma Coburn | 4:29.86i | 4 | New York | February 16 |
45) Brie Felnagle | 4:28.90 | 2 | San Diego | May 5 |
2014 | ||||
46) Abbey D'Agostino | 4:28.31i | 2 | Boston | January 24 |
47) Jordan Hasay | 4:28.37i | 3 | Boston | January 24 |
48) Amanda Winslow | 4:26.28i | 1 | Boston | February 8 |
49) Morgan Uceny | 4:29.89 | 2 | Concord | June 5 |
50) Molly Huddle | 4:26.84 | 1 | Dublin | July 11 |
51) Aisha Praught | 4:27.61 | 3 | Dublin | July 11 |
52) Lauren Penney | 4:28.02 | 4 | Dublin | July 11 |
53) Katie Mackey | 4:27.78 | 1 | Falmouth | August 16 |
2015 | ||||
54) Colleen Quigley | 4:29.67i | 1 | Boston | February 13 |
55) Stephanie Charnigo | 4:28.02i | 3 | New York | February 14 |
56) Leah O'Connor | 4:27.18i | 1 | Fayetteville | March 14 |
57) Shelby Houlihan | 4:28.71i | 2 | Fayetteville | March 14 |
58) Stephanie Garcia | 4:28.84 | 1 | Raleigh | August 7 |
59) Amanda Eccleston | 4:29.06 | 2 | Raleigh | August 7 |
60) Heather Wilson | 4:29.39 | 3 | Raleigh | August 7 |
2016 = third most U.S. first sub-4:30 in one year = 10 | ||||
61) Elinor Purrier | 4:29.71i | 4 | Boston | February 12 |
62) Kerri Gallagher | 4:26.18i | 2 | New York | February 20 |
63) Heather Kampf | 4:27.26i | 4 | New York | February 20 |
64) Alexa Efraimson | 4:28.91i | 8 | New York | February 20 |
65) Rachel Schneider | 4:28.50i | 2 | Boston | February 28 |
66) Cory McGee | 4:28.55 | 3 | Dublin | July 22 |
67) Lauren Johnson | 4:25.04 | 1 | Raleigh | August 5 |
68) Stephanie Brown | 4:29.06 | 5 | Raleigh | August 5 |
69) Nicole Tully | 4:29.78 | 6 | Raleigh | August 5 |
70) Shannon Osika | 4:28.45 | 3 | Huntington Station | August 31 |
2017 | ||||
71) Kaela Edwards | 4:28.75i | 6 | New York | February 11 |
72) Hannah Fields | 4:28.32 | 1 | Falmouth | August 19 |
73) Emily Lipari | 4:28.84 | 1 | Huntington Station | September 6 |
2018 | ||||
74) Karissa Schweizer | 4:27.54i | 3 | New York | January 27 |
75) Helen Schlachtenhaufen | 4:27.09 | 3 | Concord | June 7 |
76) Charlene Lipsey | 4:27.28 | 1 | Raleigh | August 3 |
77) Sara Vaughn | 4:27.31 | 2 | Raleigh | August 3 |
2019 | ||||
78) Danae Rivers | 4:29.47i | 8 | New York | February 9 |
79) Ce'Aira Brown | 4:28.12i | 1 | Boston | March 3 |
80) Heather MacLean | 4:29.74i | 2 | Boston | March 3 |
2020 | ||||
81) Nikki Hiltz | 4:29.39i | 1 | New York | January 25 |
82) Whittni Orton | 4:29.76i | 2 | New York | January 25 |
83) Hanna Green | 4:28.06i | 3 | Seattle | February 1 |
84) Dani Jones | 4:27.88i | 7 | New York | February 8 |
2021 | ||||
85) Taryn Rawlings | 4:28.93 | 1 | Mission Viejo | July 18 |
86) Raevyn Rogers | 4:29.26 | 2 | Mission Viejo | July 18 |
87) Josette Norris | 4:25.92 | 1 | Raleigh | August 6 |
88) Sage Hurta | 4:26.76 | 3 | Raleigh | August 6 |
89) Rebecca Mehra | 4:27.95 | 5 | Raleigh | August 6 |
90) Michaela Meyer | 4:29.16 | 7 | Raleigh | August 6 |
91) Eleanor Fulton | 4:29.46 | 8 | Raleigh | August 6 |
92) Grace Barnett | 4:29.88 | 9 | Raleigh | August 6 |
93) Elise Cranny | 4:21.90 | 5 | Brussels | September 3 |
2022 | ||||
94) Allie Wilson | 4:26.04 | 2 | Los Angeles | July 9 |
95) Elly Henes | 4:28.12 | 3 | Los Angeles | July 9 |
2023 = second most U.S. first sub-4:30 year = 11 | ||||
96) Alicia Monson | 4:23.55i | 1 | New York | January 28 |
97) Katelyn Tuohy | 4:24.26i | 3 | New York | January 28 |
98) Krissy Gear | 4:29.67i | 1 | Boston | January 28 |
99) Abigail Nichols | 4:29.12i | 1 | Boston | February 4 |
100) Emily Mackay | 4:26.09i | 4 | Boston | February 4 |
101) Alex Teubel | 4:27.67 | 3 | St. Louis | June 1 |
102) Madie Boreman | 4:27.71 | 3 | Raleigh | August 4 |
103) Laurie Barton | 4:28.37 | 4 | Raleigh | August 4 |
104) Katie Wasserman | 4:28.89 | 5 | Raleigh | August 4 |
105) Katie Camarena | 4:29.75 | 6 | Raleigh | August 4 |
106) Angel Piccirillo | 4:27.26 | 3 | Falmouth | August 18 |
2024 = most U.S. first sub-4:30 year = 12 | ||||
107) Gabbi Jennings | 4:29.86i | 4 | New York | January 27 |
108) Anna Camp Bennett | 4:27.13i | 1 | Boston | January 27 |
109) Olivia Markezich | 4:27.76i | 1 | South Bend | February 3 |
110) Chloe Foerster | 4:28:14i | 1 | Seattle | February 10 |
111) Melissa Riggins | 4:29.02i | 4 | Boston | March 9 |
112) Margot Appleton | 4:29.07i | 5 | Boston | March 9 |
113) Jenn Randall | 4:28.23 | 1 | St. Louis | May 30 |
114) Sadie Engelhardt, second U.S. high schooler | 4:28.46 | 2 | St. Louis | May 30 |
115) Christina Aragon | 4:27.14 | 5 | Raleigh | August 2 |
116) Kate Mitchell | 4:29.69 | 5 | Falmouth | August 16 |
117) Michaela DeGenero | 4:29.95 | 6 | Falmouth | August 16 |
118) Rachel McArthur | 4:29.14 | 2 | Stirling | August 24 |
i = indoors
SOURCE: BringBackTheMile.com
Back to History page click HERE.
Sub-4 Men’s List
Chronological Listing of U.S. Men Who Have Broken the Coveted 4 Minute Mark in the Mile
as of December 2, 2023
The mark listed for each U.S. athlete is his first-ever sub-4 minute Mile as a U.S. citizen. Performance also must be run in a Mile track race – indoors or outdoors. Since 1957, to-date, 732 U.S. men, including 23 high schoolers (18 since BBTM 2012 launch), have dipped below the recognized & coveted 4 minute mark in the Mile.
On June 1, 1957, Don Bowden (left) became the first U.S. man to break 4 minutes in the Mile and Morgan Beadlescomb’s 3:52.03 on February 11, 2022 in Chicago is the fastest debut sub-4:00 Mile by a U.S.-born man and the fastest first sub-4 indoors.
The year 2023 produced the most annual new sub-4 U.S. members with 69, aided in part by super shoes, (old record was 64 in 2022), and 2022 had a record 5 HSers (previous mark = 2 in 2015 & 2016).
And for the 18th consecutive year (2006-23), the first sub-4 U.S. annual number again hit double digits with an average of 31 first-timers since BBTM’s 2012 launch: see The BBTM Effect (the 1957-2011 average was only approximately 7 per year).
U.S. First Sub-4 Milestones
► #1
Don Bowden, 3:58.7, Stockton, CA, June 1, 1957
► #100 = 22 years, 8 months, 9 days
Jim Spivey, 3:58.9 indoors, Louisville, KY, February 9, 1980
► #200 = 14 years, 3 months, 26 days
Chris Katon, 3:59.19, Eugene, OR, June 4, 1994
► #300 = 13 years, 7 months, 30 days
John Richardson, 3:59.35 indoors, Lexington, KY, February 2, 2008
► #400 = 5 years, 2 months, 26 days*
Robby Andrews, 3:57.82, Philadelphia, PA, April 27, 2013
► #500 = 4 years, 9 months, 1 day*
Emmanuel Bor, 3:58.77 indoors, Boston, MA, January 27, 2018
► #600 = 3 years, 11 months, 14 days*
Ryan Schoppe, 3:58.71 indoors, Fayetteville, AR, January 14, 2022
► #700 = 1 year, 28 days* (shortest span to hit 100 milestone)
Zach Michon, 3:58.00 indoors, Boston, MA, February 11, 2023
* = The BBTM Effect
Additions and corrections are welcome at: milemaniac@bringbackthemile.com
Courtesy of Track & Field News: U.S. men's sub-4 list (732 overall)
Courtesy of Bob Phillips / NUTS: World men's sub-4 list (1,755 strong as of June 6, 2022)
Australia's first sub-4 Mile history (80 overall)
Courtesy of Broadway Run Club Canada's first sub-4 Mile list (76 overall)
Courtesy of ScotStats Scotland's first sub-4 Mile list (33 overall)
Australia's first sub-4 Mile history (80 overall)
Ireland's first sub-4 Mile history (59 overall)