Sub-4:30 Women’s List

Chronological Listing of U.S. Women Who Have Broken 4:30 in the Mile

as of March 9, 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, 112 U.S. women, including only one high schooler, Mary Cain, 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.

2023 produced the most new sub-4:30 U.S. members, 11 women, respectively, in the same year (previous record = 10 in 2016). 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 18 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, only 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 = second 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 = third most U.S. first sub-4:30 in one year = 9        
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 = most U.S. first sub-4:30 in one 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        
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

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 21 high schoolers (16 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 (73 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 (57 overall)

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