Hunter runs personal-best mile to improve to third in the world; Wilson produces season best to prevail in women’s 800

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It might have only been a small improvement on his personal best, but that was the only thing little associated Saturday with the performance of Drew Hunter in the men’s mile at the adidas Boost Boston Games.

Hunter, who was in fifth at the midway point and still in fourth with a lap to go, delivered an impressive surge to move past Scotland’s Chris O’Hare to secure the victory in 3 minutes, 56.72 seconds at Henry G. Steinbrenner Stadium in Cambridge, Mass.

Hunter, who had run 3:56.79 in Ireland in July, covered the final lap Saturday in 55.26 seconds to elevate to No. 3 in the world this year behind fellow Americans Johnny Gregorek (3:54.94) and Colby Alexander (3:56.07). O’Hare finished in 3:57.17 to ascend to fourth in the world.

“Yeah, I just came up on Chris’ shoulder and I was like alright, you know he was looking back and so I knew he was tired,” Hunter said. “So it was just keep working, keep fighting through the line. So yeah, it was good. Good race, good win and I’m happy about it.”

Ajee’ Wilson became the second American female athlete this year and one of seven overall to break 2 minutes in the 800 meters, clocking 1:59.27 to hold off Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Natoya Goule of Jamaica in 1:59.43.

Hunter and Wilson were the only Americans to prevail in professional races, with Kenya’s Cyrus Rutto running a world-leading 7:45.64 to win the men’s 3,000 and Caroline Kipkirui prevailing in the women’s 5,000 in 15:55.24.

Canada’s Brandon McBride won the men’s 800 in 1:45.18, with Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum edging American Charlene Lipsey by a 4:04.65 to 4:04.98 margin in the women’s 1,500. Lipsey ran a personal best, along with third-place Karoline Grovdal of Norway (4:06.18) and fourth-place Dominique Scott of South Africa (4:07.20).

In the girls high school Dream Mile, Stanford signee Caitlin Collier of The Bolles School FL ran a national-leading 4:38.48, followed by McKinney North TX sophomore London Culbreath in 4:43.41.

“I’m really happy. Not the best conditions today, but I mean I got a PR today, so that’s all I really needed to do,” Collier said. “We’re headed out to Nashville for the Music City Distance Carnival and then Indiana for USATF (Junior Outdoor Championships).”

Michael Phillips of Lawton Chiles made it a Florida sweep by winning the boys Dream Mile in 4:08.03, closing with a 57.1 final lap to hold off Sean Dolan of Hopewell Valley Central NJ (4:08.86) and Jericho Cleveland of Volcano Vista NM (4:08.95).

“I didn’t fully expect to get the win, but to come out on top was awesome and it was definitely a dream of mine,” Phillips said. “My goal was just to run fast and see if I could get the win.”

Josh Hoey of Bishop Shanahan PA competed in the men’s 800 and placed eighth in a personal-best 1:48.37, the fastest high school time in the country this year and No. 24 in U.S. prep history.