Craig Engels Runs Fastest Mile By North Carolinian


Craig Engels ran 3:51.60 tonight at the Prefontaine Classic in Palo Alto, California.  He would place 5th in the event and finish as the top American athlete in a stacked field.

Results courtesy of Flash Results

PlaceAthleteAffiliationTime
1Timothy CHERUIYOT20 Nov 1995Kenya3:50.49
2Ayanleh SOULEIMAN3 Dec 1992Djibouti3:51.22
3Filip INGEBRIGTSEN20 Apr 1993Norway3:51.28
4Jakob INGEBRIGTSEN19 Sep 2000Norway3:51.30
5Craig ENGELS1 May 1994United States3:51.60
6Matthew CENTROWITZ18 Oct 1989United States3:52.26
7Ben BLANKENSHIP15 Dec 1988United States3:52.51
8Samuel TEFERA23 Oct 1999Ethiopia3:53.50
9Bethwell BIRGEN6 Aug 1988Kenya3:54.32
10Clayton MURPHY26 Feb 1995United States3:54.37
11John GREGOREK7 Dec 1991United States3:54.50
12Elijah Motonei MANANGOI5 Jan 1993Kenya3:57.48
13Yomif KEJELCHA1 Aug 1997Ethiopia3:58.24
14Nick WILLIS25 Apr 1983New Zealand3:59.55

The results will be a big personal best for the Reagan High School and Nike Oregon Project star improving from his 3:55.12 from 2018 at Sir Walter Miler.

It will also move him from 2nd to 1st on the North Carolina All-Time list in the Mile.  On the list below are the 11 sub-4 Milers from North Carolina high school graduates as well as their high school and high school PR.

RankNamePRDateHigh SchoolHS PR
1

Craig Engels

3:51.606/30/2019Reagan4:03.96
2

Tony Waldrop

3:53.2h4/27/1974Polk County4:18.1
3

Ryan Hill

3:55.488/25/2018Hickory4:13.2
4Jim Beatty3:55.506/7/1963Charlotte Central4:31.9
5

Graham Crawford

3:56.055/8/2016Williams4:20.11
6

Jack Bolas

3:57.398/10/2014Chapel Hill4:04.38x
7

Jake Hurysz

3:58.102/20/2016Eastern Alamance4:06.18
8

Isaac Presson

3:58.671/6/2013Asheville4:08.46
9

Taylor Gilland

3:58.772/8/2014Chapel Hill4:10.38
10

Dylan Ferris

3:58.902/13/2010East Forsyth4:08.1
11

Bobby Mack

3:59.705/29/2012North Forsyth4:10.61xi

*an 'x' next to their High School PR indicates 1600m time, an 'i' indicates it was indoors

Engels was a graduate of Reagan High School in 2012, Ole Miss in 2017 and now competes for the Nike Oregon Project Professionally.

Engels will have a great shot at qualifying for the US Team in the 1500m in July at the USATF Outdoor Championships where top 3 advances to Worlds.  Engels has the qualifying standard out of the way.

Engels has also earned a spot on the US Team for the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.  He was the Pan Am Junior 1500m Champion in 2013.