The Gregoreks Join Exclusive Father / Son Sub-4 Club
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 father, a two-time U.S. Olympic team member in the steeplechase, in that benchmark club (more than 1,350 men and counting since May 1954). Moreover, the Gregoreks entered an even more rarefied group as only the 8th father / son sub-4 combo.
The first father / son combo to break 4 minutes was two-time Olympic champion and running legend Kip Keino and his son Martin Keino of Kenya who clocked 3:54.2 (1965) and 3:58.73 (1994), respectively, while Barry and Darren Brown were the first U.S. father / son combo sub-4, 3:58.8 (1973) and 3:59.99 (2008), respectively.
Below is a chronological order and summary of the 8 fathers and sons who have run under 4 minutes for the Mile.
#1 – first overall
AVE = 3:52.72 (Kip = 3:53.1 and Martin = 3:52.33) – #1 fastest PR average
3:54.16 Kip Keino (KEN) 08/30/65
3:58.73 Martin Keino (KEN) 06/04/94
#2 – first U.S.
AVE = 3:58.83 (Barry = 3:58.8 and Darren = 3:58.85) – #8
3:58.8 Barry Brown (USA) 05/13/73
3:59.99 Darren Brown (USA) 04/05/08
#3
AVE = 3:52.74 (Matt = 3:54.94 and Matthew = 3:50.53) – #2
3:59.2 Matt Centrowitz (USA) 05/24/75
3:57.92i Matthew Centrowitz (USA) 02/14/09
#4
AVE = 3:53.93 (David = 3:59.35 and Asbel = 3:48.50) – #3
3:59.35 David Kebenei (KEN), 07/17/82
3:48.50 Asbel Kiprop (KEN), 06/07/09
#5
AVE = 3:58.21 (Sam, Jr. = 3:56.7 and Sam, III = 3:59.72i) – #7
3:58.7 Sam Bair, Jr. (USA) 06/23/67
3:59.72i Sam Bair, III (USA) 02/13/10
#6
AVE = 3:54.55 (Eamonn = 3:49.78i and John = 3:59.32i) – #6
3:56.2 Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) 05/10/75
3:59.32i John Coghlan (IRL) 01/28/12
#7
AVE = 3:53.97 (Abdi = 3:49.40 and Ahmed = 3:58.54i) – #4
3:57.43 Abdi Bile (SOM) 07/21/84
3:59.04i Ahmed Bile (USA) 01/31/15
#8
AVE = 3:54.41 (John = 3:51.34 and John, Jr. = 3:57.47i) – #5
3:57.10 John Gregorek (USA) 05/30/81 (photo right)
3:57.47i John Gregorek, Jr. (USA) 02/14/15
i = indoors
Read about Sam Bair, III's determined quest for sub-4 HERE.
Updated Father-Son Sub-4 Combo list HERE.
SOURCE: BringBacktheMile.com
