State Mile Guide: #1 Delaware
Date of Statehood: December 7, 1787
Capital: Dover
Motto: Liberty & Independence
In 2018, Sam Parsons became the first Delawarean to go sub-4 in the Mile, clocking 3:59.70 in New York, and on April 9, 2022, Parsons recorded the first sub-4 Mile on state soil, winning The Delaware Mile Challenge in 3:58.17 on his high school track (Tatnall School). For women, two-time Olympian (1988 & 1996) and Wilmington native Vicki Huber holds the overall Mile record (4:28.31 indoors in 1988), and she continues to hold the Mile records, indoor & outdoor, at Villanova.
Vic Zwolak, born in Wilmington, who is one of the most accomplished Delaware Milers and its first track & field Olympian (Tokyo 1964, Steeplechase), was also a three-time NCAA champion at Villanova where he won the 1963 cross country title as well as the 1963-64 3000m Steeplechase crowns.
At the high school level, Tatnall HS has dominated the middle distance lists (see the below). Haley Pierce's 4:45.72 Mile at the 2011 adidas Grand Prix in New York is the prep state record.
Petition Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) to BBTM
Vic Zwolak winning the 1963 NCAA Cross Country title for Villanova
STATE RECORDS
Delaware Soil
Male: 3:58.17 Sam Parsons (GER / CO), 2022
Female: 4:34.56 Molly Sughroue (USA / CO), 2022
Delawarean
Male: 3:57.36i, Kieran Tuntivate (THA / OR), 2020
Female: 4:28.31i & 4:28.77, Vicki Huber, 1988
i = indoors
BOYS:
Mile: 4:13.82, Dominic Della Pelle, Salesianum HS, 2006
1600m: 4:11.71, Kieran Tuntivate, Charter HS, 2015
GIRLS:
Mile: 4:45.72, Haley Pierce, Tatnall HS, 2011
1600m: 4:41.19, Haley Pierce, Tatnall HS, 2011
JOIN BBTM
BBTM’s state-by-state Mile guide is being produced to share the rich story of each state’s history with the Mile, a distance regardless of age, gender or fitness-level, that everyone understands. If you consider yourself a Delawarean T&F sage and would like to help us fill out our guide, leave comments below or email milemaniac@bringbackthemile.com. We welcome your support and feedback!
REFERENCES
- General State Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware
- Vic Zwolak: http://villanovarunning.blogspot.com/2011/04/three-time-ncaa-champ-vic-zwolak-still.html
- Vicki Huber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicki_Huber; also stats courtesy E. Garry Hill, Track & Field News
- HS Stats & Records: https://sites.google.com/site/n5cta2/outdoor-track-and-field
- Delaware T&F Hall of Fame: https://www.delawaretrackandfieldhof.org/hall-of-fame-inductees/
- Thank you to the following Delawarean T&F sages for their contributions: Michael Tait and Rick Schuder
