Connor Burns, Simeon Birnbaum and Rocky Hansen Set Burnish Legacies, Chase History In St. Louis
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
Lily Dozier photo
For the first time, an elite high school boys race will feature three sub-four milers even before the starting gun fires.
Connor Burns of Southern Boone MO, who made history in last year’s HOKA Festival of Miles when he became the first 11th grader since Jim Ryun to break the barrier, will be joined by South Dakota champion Simeon Birnbaum, who also broke through in 2022, and Rocky Hansen of Christ School NC, who became the 18th and most recent member of the exclusive club on April 30.
The Big River Running High School Boys Championship Mile is, perhaps, the main event at Thursday night’s two and a half hours of racing at St. Louis University High in Missouri.
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In years past, high school standouts were sometimes invited into the men’s field, and a race that became a proving ground for Grant Fisher in 2015 and Reed Brown in 2017, and Gary Martin and Burns last year.
This time, it’ll be an all-high school field of racers, but the pacer is one of the best in the world: Erik Sowinski.
“It worried me at first that it was going to be a high-school only race, but when I heard Erik Sowinski was going to be our pacer it kind of eliminated all of fears of the pace slowing, or us just racing for the win,” Birnbaum, who graduated from Rapid City Stevens SD, said.
Since three runners have already checked the sub-four box, the new target is ambitious: How close can they get to Alan Webb’s high school record 3:53.43, which was achieved at the Prefontaine Classic on May 27, 2001.
If Sowinski can get the pace rolling at a 58-second per 440 yards clip, the trio of sub-four milers will see if they can hang on.
Webb’s record, incidentally, is faster than the pro men’s meet record of 3:54.24 by Jordan McNamara of Nike Oregon OTC in 2014.
Other top preps seeking a first sub-four mile include Jackson Heidesch from Dowling Catholic IA, Devan Kipyego from St. Raphael RI, Tayson Echohawk from Orem UT, Tinoda Matsatsa of St. Andrew’s Episcopal MD and Clay Shively from Wichita Trinity Academy KS.
Newbury Park’s Aaron Sahlman is on the entry list, but posted on his Instagram last week that he has suffered an injury and may not race again this season.
The high school athlete who will get an opportunity to step up and run against pros is Tatum David of…
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