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| Athletics 1600 meters | |
|---|---|
| World records | |
| Men |  Hicham El Guerrouj 3:41.84c (1999) |
| Women |  Faith Kipyegon 4:06.20c (2023) |
1600 meters is amiddle distancetrack and field running event that is slightly shorter than the more commonmile run, and 100 meters longer than the much more frequent1500 m run. The 1600-meter event puts some of the best high school runners to the ultimate test, measuring their physical and mental capabilities. With more high school runners doing this event, theirVO2 max and overall mood benefit. The 1600-meter races help runners have a lowerresting heart rate, help build muscle, and benefit their body composition over a short period of time.[1] In World Athletics, events like the 1500m and3000m are ran in aWorld Championship setting where in high school, they run the 1600m and3200m, both just short of a full mile and 2 miles.
It is a standardized event in track meets conducted by theNFHS in American high school competition, often being colloquially referred to as "the mile" or "the metric mile".
When the organization went throughmetrication, finalized with their 1980 rule book, the 4 lap around a 440 yard,imperial-measured mile run, was replaced by the closest metric distance, 4 laps around a 400 meter track, or 8 laps around an indoor 200 meter track.[2] That decision is not without controversy.[3] The race is 9.344 meters shorter, similarly to the3200 meter run being 18.688 meters short of 2 miles. Other organizations have followed the lead ofWorld Athletics and use the1500 meters as the closest equivalent.
While World Athletics does not recognize an official world record or world best in the 1600 meters, themile run can be used as an approximation.[4]
The current malehigh school record holder in the 1600 m is Drew Griffith, who ran 3:57.08 against other high schoolers at the PIAA Class 3A Championships. Drew Griffith pushed himself to his limits against the best high school 1600-meter runners. Even Drew Griffiths, now a teammate in college, Ryan Pajak claimed the silver medal in this competitive 1600m race. Opening up in a 58.04, Drew never lost the lead, going through the800m in 1:58.92. Eventually closing out his historic run with his last two laps in a time of 60.75 seconds and 57.98 seconds.[5] Running through the finish line knowing he just ran a time that would go down in the history books.
Griffith took the record fromAlan Webb, who ran forSouth Lakes High School inReston, Virginia. Webb ran 3:59.51 at theArcadia Invitational against high school athletes on April 14, 2001. Six weeks later, Webb ran a mile against seasoned international runners at thePrefontaine Classic, including world record holderHicham El Guerrouj ofMorocco and the2000 Summer Olympics'1500 metres bronze medalistBernard Lagat. Webb was timed in 3:51.83 for 1600 m (en route to the high school mile record in 3:53.43). Webb was technically still in high school at the time, but the NFHS only recognizes the race against other high school competitors.
Several other high schoolers have run faster than Griffith's 3:57.08 1600 m, includingGary Martin (3:57.98 mile, 3:56.60 1600 m) in 2022 andJim Ryun (3:58.3 mile, 3:56.92 1600 m) in 1965.
| Time | Athlete | State | High School | Date | Meet | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:57.08 | Drew Griffith |  Pennsylvania | Butler | 24 May 2024 | PIAA Championships | Shippensburg | [7] |
| 3:59.51 | Alan Webb |  Virginia | Reston South Lakes | 2001 | Arcadia Invitational | Arcadia | |
| 3:59.54 | Michael Slagowski |  Idaho | Meridian | 2016 | |||
| 4:00.28 | Grant Fisher |  Michigan | Grand Blanc | 2015 | |||
| 4:00.29 | German Fernandez |  California | Riverbank | 2008 | |||
| 4:02.30 | Sam Worley |  Texas | Comal Canyon | 2017 | |||
| 4:02.49 | Reed Brown | Texas | Southlake Carroll | 2017 | |||
| 4:02.62 | Ryan Hall | California | Big Bear | 2001 | |||
| 4:03.00 | Austin Mudd |  Indiana | Greenwood Center Grove | 2011 | |||
| 4:03.22 | Paul Vandergrift | Pennsylvania | Cnshhckn. Archbshp. Kndy. | 1987 | |||
| 4:03.59 | John Quade |  Washington | Woodinville | 1985 | |||
| 4:03.68 | Owen Powell | Washington | Mercer Island | 29 May 2025 | WA State Championships | Tacoma | [8] |
| 4:03.80 | John Robinson | Texas | Pasadena Dobie | 1980 | |||
| 4:03:27 | Steve Magness | Texas | Klein Oak | 2003 | |||
| 4:04.00 | Michael Stember | California | Carmichael Jesuit | 1995 | |||
| 4:04.09 | Matthew Centrowitz, Jr. |  Maryland | Annapolis Broadneck | 2007 | |||
| 4.04.49 | Luke Pash |  New Jersey | Ridgewood | 12 June 2024 | Meet of Champions | Pennsauken | [9] |
| 4:04.70 | Gabe Fendel | Indiana | Hamilton Southeastern | 2017 | |||
| 4:04.91 | Tyler Sainsbury | Idaho | Rocky Mountain | 2023 | Pasco Invitational | Pasco | |
| 4:04.95 | A.J. Acosta | California | Oceanside El Camino | 2006 | |||
| 4:04.97 | Gabe Jennings |  Wisconsin | Madison East | 1997 |
The female record is less disputed, asAlexa Efraimson ofCamas High School inCamas, Washington ran her 4:33.29 at theWashington State 4A Championships, exclusively against other high school girls, in 2014. In 2022,Sadie Engelhardt tied Efraimson's record.
However, some high school girls have run faster than Efraimson, though this is not recognized by the NFHS, who only recognizes times in a 1600 m race against other high schoolers.
First, on April 6, 2024, Engelhardt broke Efraimson's record by running 4:32.48, though this has not yet been ratified by theNFHS.
Furthermore,Katelyn Tuohy ran a 4:32.28 1600 m en route to her 2018 outdoor high school mile record of 4:33.87. Tuohy's record has since been broken three times, which have not yet been ratified by the NFHS.
First, on April 19, 2024, Sadie Engelhardt ran a 4:31.72 mile at theMt. SAC Relays, which converts to a 4:30.14 1600 m.
Next, on May 30, 2024, at theHOKA Festival of Miles,Allie Zealand ran a 4:30.38 mile which converts to a 4:28.81 1600 m against other high schoolers. Lastly, in the race after Zealand, against professionals, Engelhardt ran a 4:28.26 mile, which converts to a 4:26.70 1600 m.[10]
Moving forward,Mary Cain's 2013 indoor high school mile record of 4:28.25 converts to a 4:26.69 1600 m, though the NFHS does not recognize this as the high school girls' 1600 m record.
Finally, in 2022,Addy Wiley ran a 4:26.16 1600 m, which has not yet been ratified by NFHS.
| Time | Athlete | State | Date & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:32.48 | Sadie Engelhardt | California | (Ventura) at Arcadia, CA, 4-6, 2024 |
| 4:33.29 | Alexa Efraimson | Washington | (Camas) at Tacoma, WA, 5-29, 2014 |
| 4:33.29 | Sadie Engelhardt | California | (Ventura) at Arcadia, CA, 4-10, 2022 |
| 4:33.82 | Christine Babcock | California | (Irvine Woodbridge) at Norwalk, CA, 2008 |
| 4:36.57 | Christine Babcock | California | (Irvine Woodbridge), 2008 |
| 4:37.07 | Taryn Parks | Pennsylvania | (Greencastle), 2019 |
| 4:37.45 | Marlee Starliper | Pennsylvania | (Dillsburg Northern York), 2019 |
| 4:38.15 | Alex Kosinski | California | (El Dorado Hills Oak Ridge), 2007 |
| 4:38.85 | Christine Babcock | California | (Irvine Woodbridge), 2007 |
| 4:39.13 | Jordan Hasay | California | (San Luis Obispo Mission Prep), 2007 |
| 4:39.23 | Hannah Meier | Michigan | (Grosse Pointe South), 2013 |
| 4:39.33 | Amanda Gehrich | California | (Tesoro), 2015 |
| 4:39.4 | Laura Matson | Michigan | (Bloomfield Hills-Andover), 1985 |
| 4:39.88 | Marissa Williams | California | (Palisades), 2015 |
| 4:39.92 | Polly Anne Plumer | California | (Irvine University), 1982 |
| 4:40.88 | Cami Chapus | California | (Harvard-Westlake), 2011 |
| 4:41.08 | Kim Gallagher | Pennsylvania | (Fort Washington Upper Dublin), 1981 |
| 4:41.29 | Christine Babcock | California | (Irvine Woodbridge), 2006 |
| 4:41.29 | Brynn Brown | Texas | (Denton Guyer), 2021 |
| 4:42.10 | Annie St. Geme | California | (Newport. Beach Corona del Mar), 2006 |
When converted down to 1600 m,Hicham El Guerrouj ran an equivalent of a 3:41.84 1600 m in his world record mile of 3:43.13 ran at Romes Stadio Olimpico inMorocco on July 7, 1999.[12]
Likewise, when converted down to 1600 m,Faith Kipyegon ran an equivalent of a 4:06.20 1600 m in her world record mile of 4:07.64 at theHerculis meeting inMonaco on July 21, 2023.[13]
When converted down to 1600 m,Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran an equivalent of a 3:43.83 1600 m in his 2025 world record mile of 3:45.14 set at theMeeting Hatus De France Pas De Calais Trophee at the World Tour in Levin,France.[14]
Likewise, when converted down to 1600 m,Genzebe Dibaba ran an equivalent of a 4:11.84 1600 m in her world record mile of 4:13.31 set at the Globen Galan Meeting inStockholm, Sweeden on February 17, 2016.[15]
1600 meters is also the distance of the final leg of adistance medley relay, because it is an even 4 laps, where at 3.75 laps, the 1500 would require the start line or finish line to be moved. Whether or not you've heard of the4x100 meter relay or the4x400 meter relay, the DMR is unique because the 1600 meter is a distance within the relay among different distances. The 1600-meter is the longest part of the DMR, which in some ways makes it the most challenging. The DMR givesdistance runners who don't have enough speed for the 4x400-meter relay or anything shorter a versatile relay in which they can still showcase their talents.[16] With the range being from400 meters to 1600 meters, these distances give the event so much excitement in a track meet. Another relay that is ran with consideration of the 1600m is the4xmile relay. This relay is not ran at many meets but one isPenn Relays held at theUniversity of Pennsylvania inPhiladelphia, PA.
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