ASICS athlete Gregorek ascends to No. 3 American outdoor performer this year with 3:36.11 effort, relying on late surge to get past Alexander; Mansy prevails in 4:12.56 against HOKA ONE ONE New Jersey New York Track Club teammates

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Since setting the blue jean mile world record May 30, Johnny Gregorek had been focusing more on the 800 meters during his limited outdoor racing schedule this summer.

But the ASICS athlete made an impressive return to the 1,500 meters Sunday at the Bethel Twilight meet at Bethel High in Connecticut, winning in 3 minutes, 36.11 seconds to elevate to the No. 3 American performer and 32nd in the world this year.

Megan Mansy prevailed in the women’s 1,500 in 4:12.56, competing against HOKA ONE ONE New Jersey New York Track Club teammates Dani Aragon (4:17.54) and Katy Kunc (4:22.85).

PHOTOS by John Nepolitan

It marked the first victory of the year for Mansy, who earned her first win since last year’s Monmouth Mile by running 4:34.05 in New Jersey. Her fastest 1,500 this year remains 4:09.82 at the Music City Distance Carnival on Aug. 15 in Nashville, Tenn.

Gregorek, who clocked 4:06.25 to achieve the blue jean mile all-time best in New York, earned his first outdoor 1,500 victory since the 2018 USATF Distance Classic at Occidental College in Los Angeles. It was his first outdoor competition since last year’s AG Memorial Van Damme, where he ran 3:35.32 in Belgium.

With HOKA ONE ONE New Jersey New York Track Club athlete Kyle Merber pacing the lead pack through 1,100 meters in 2:38, Gregorek tucked in behind Colby Alexander on the entire back stretch of the final lap before making a decisive move with less than 100 meters remaining.

Alexander, representing HOKA ONE ONE New Jersey New York Track Club, took second in 3:37.12 to equal the No. 9 outdoor performer in the U.S. this year.

Sam Prakel, the USATF Road Mile champion Aug. 29 in Iowa, took third in 3:37.63. Prakel, representing adidas, achieved a season-best 3:36.54 to place second in his 1,500 section Aug. 15 at the Music City Distance Carnival, making him the No. 7 American outdoor performer this year.

Rob Napolitano (3:38.48) and Graham Crawford (3:39.26), both representing HOKA ONE ONE New Jersey New York Track Club, finished fourth and fifth, with teammates Travis Mahoney (3:44.53) and Jeremy Hernandez (3:46.03) placing seventh and eighth.

Nike athlete Eric Jenkins, who earned a 3,000 victory Monday in 7:50.97 at the Labor Day Showdown in Massachusetts, secured sixth in 3:41.95.