Centrowitz falls short in bid to eclipse 2007 record of 3:46.91 held by Webb, but runs fastest time since 2014 and improves on top American performance in domestic event in dress rehearsal to defend 1,500-meter title in Tokyo

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos courtesy Tim Healy

Matthew Centrowitz continued to climb the all-time American men’s mile rankings Saturday night, but the reigning Olympic 1,500-meter gold medalist was reminded just how demanding it can be to try to reach the summit and surpass the 2007 national record held by Alan Webb.

As the central figure in the Centro Mile held at Jesuit High in Portland, the Nike Bowerman Track Club standout did elevate to the No. 5 American competitor in history by running 3 minutes, 49.26 seconds, but fell short of his pursuit of Webb’s standard of 3:46.91 achieved in Brasschaat, Belgium.

Centrowitz, who was paced through the first 800 meters in 1:52.04 and the opening kilometer in 2:19 by Bowerman teammates Amos Bartelsmeyer and Josh Thompson, covered the final lap in 58.03.

Sam Prakel, an adidas athlete, ran 3:57.92 and Tripp Hurt clocked 3:57.95.

Centrowitz, 31, entered the event as the No. 9 all-time American mile competitor at 3:50.53 from the 2014 Prefontaine Classic. That effort ranked him No. 87 in the history of the event, but his performance Saturday helped him ascend to the No. 39 all-time athlete.

Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti still boasts the fastest mile achieved on American soil at 3:47.32 from the 2014 Prefontaine Classic. But Centrowitz improved on the fastest effort by a U.S. athlete at a domestic event.

Centrowitz is scheduled to leave Sunday and fly to Hawaii, then eventually to Japan, with the opening round of the men’s 1,500 scheduled for Aug. 3, followed by the semifinals Aug. 5 and culminating with an Aug. 7 final.

Should Centrowitz reach the final, he would be attempting to become the first athlete to repeat as Olympic men’s 1,500 gold medalist since current World Athletics President Sebastian Coe of Great Britain achieved the feat in 1980 in Moscow and 1984 in Los Angeles.