Lomong sets meet record, with Marquardt and Thomson producing first career sub-4 efforts; Lipsey and Vaughn both break 4:30 for the first time in thrilling women’s race

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Lopez Lomong continued his impressive outdoor season Friday, leading 13 male athletes under 4 minutes in the mile at the fifth annual Sir Walter Miler at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.

Charlene Lipsey, 27, led five female athletes under 4:30 to capture the women’s title.

Lomong, 33, prevailed in a meet-record 3:53.86, his fastest mile since running a personal-best 3:51.45 at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic. Lomong eclipsed the 2016 record of 3:54.57 set by Kyle Merber.

In his last mile race July 19 at the Morton Games in Dublin, Lomong placed second in 3:56.58 behind fellow American Sam Prakel (3:55.80). Prakel was third Friday in 3:54.64, with Johnny Gregorek second in 3:54.53.

Lomong also won the 10,000-meter title June 21 in 28:58.38 at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Iowa, as well as a 1,500 race July 28 in Belgium in 3:40.17. He is set to run at the NACAC Championships in Toronto next week.

Americans Charlie Marquardt (3:55.97) and Jacob Thomson (3:57.07) finished ninth and 12th, respectively, both producing sub-4 efforts for the first time in their careers, increasing the number of U.S. athletes to achieve the feat to 521, with 11 of those first-time performances coming at the Sir Walter Miler.

With the 13 marks achieved Friday, the event has now produced 39 total sub-4 miles in meet history.

Lipsey ran a personal-best 4:27.28, the fourth-fastest performance in meet history, to edge fellow American Sara Vaughn, who also ran a personal-best and No. 5 all-time 4:27.31. Cory McGee was third in a personal-best 4:27.78, followed by Canadians Nicole Sifuentes (4:27.81) and Kate Van Buskirk (4:28.67).

Amanda Eccleston, last year’s champion, finished 11th in 4:35.57.

Lipsey and Vaughn increased the total of American women under 4:30 to 77, with McGee having first achieved the feat in 2016.

Lipsey’s victory marked the fifth different female winner in as many years. Heidi See won the inaugural title in 2014, followed by Lauren Johnson, Stephanie Garcia and Eccleston. Johnson still holds the women’s meet record of 4:25.04 from 2016.

With Drew Hunter not returning after winning last year, Lomong also became the fifth men’s champion in as many years. Ford Palmer prevailed in 2014, followed by Robby Andrews, Merber and Hunter.