With 485 Americans Able to Call Themselves Sub-4:00 Milers, Will We See Number 500 in 2017?

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

Since June 1957, 485 Americans have broken four minutes in the mile. Dan Bowden was the first, running 3:58.7. Now 60 years later, the U.S. is closing in on 500 sub-four milers.

Track and Field News keeps track of every sub-four performance and lists out the first time each runner achieved that mark. Last year, 27 Americans broke four minutes for the first time, the most ever in a single year.

Already this year, nine Americans have joined the sub-four club. If recent trends continue, it is possible we will see the number of sub-four minute milers in the U.S. grow to 500.

Upon hearing the news that the U.S. is so close to reaching that milestone, Nick Symmonds tweeted, "U.S. Sub-4:00 Milers. Number 285, one of the clubs that I am most honored to be in!"