SUB 4 MILE IN SOUTH COUNTY RI!
West Greenwich RI, August 7, 2012
US Olympic Trials steeplechase finalist Corey Leslie (Ohio State U) gave over 600 fans and youth participants the result they were looking for as the first outdoor sub-4:00 mile run ever was recorded in Rhode Island on Tuesday evening. A field of six runners toed the starting line of the two year old Exeter-West Greenwich track in the attempt to break the classic time barrier.
With no designated pace-setter - a rarity in such attempts - most or the field shared the front spot through splits of 59, 1:59, and 2:59 when Leslie and AJ Acosta put a small gap on the challengers. A strong stretch run found the clock stopped at 3:58.98. He was followed by Northeastern U. senior Eric Jenkins in 4:00.13 and Notre Dame grad Daniel Clark in 4:00.29, quality times for late in the track season.
The event, which will become an annual event and add women in 2013, was put together by Charlie Breagy and Bob Rothenberg as part of the EWG weekly youth meets, which have drawn up to 300 participants a night. The race was dedicated to North Kingstown HS runner Austin Gaudreau who was critically injured in a car crash last month and still hospitalized. Several of the elite milers will compete in this Saturday evening's Falmouth Mile, the warm-up event for Sunday's Falmouth Road Race.
Race summary and photos at the RunRhody facebook page.
