The question of how many US high school boys have beaten the women’s Mile world record of 4:07.64 has a concrete, data-driven answer — and the numbers vary dramatically by event. In the sprints, hundreds or thousands of boys surpass women’s world records every year. In the throws, only a handful have ever done it in recorded history.
The Numbers
| Women’s World Record | All-Time HS Boys Count | Annual Count (2024) | Annual Count (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:07.64 | 400* | 25 | 25 |
* = estimate. See methodology notes below.
Top Performances vs. Women’s World Record
The following US high school boys have run faster than the women’s Mile world record of 4:07.64:
| # | Athlete | Performance | School / State | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Webb | 3:53.43 | South Lakes (Reston), VA | 2001 |
| 2 | Jim Ryun | 3:55.3 | East (Wichita), KS | 1965 |
| 3 | Colin Sahlman | 3:56.24 | Newbury Park, CA | 2022 |
| 4 | Owen Powell | 3:56.66i | Mercer Island, WA | 2025 |
| 5 | Jim Ryun | 3:56.8 | East (Wichita), KS | 1965 |
| 6 | Jackson Spencer | 3:57.24 | Herriman, UT | 2026 |
| 7 | Josiah Tostenson | 3:57.47i | Crater (Central Point), OR | 2025 |
| 8 | Simeon Birnbaum | 3:57.53 | Stevens (Rapid City), SD | 2023 |
| 9 | Hobbs Kessler | 3:57.66i | Skyline (Ann Arbor), MI | 2021 |
| 10 | Drew Griffith | 3:57.72 | Butler, PA | 2024 |
* = estimated count extrapolated from annual top-25 depth over 30+ tracked seasons.
What the Numbers Mean
These counts measure how deep boys’ high school performance is relative to the single best women’s performance in history. The women’s Mile world record represents the peak of elite female athletics — a performance that most professional women will never match. The fact that large numbers of high school boys surpass it in some events reflects physiological differences in male development, not a commentary on the quality of the women’s mark.
In events like the Mile, the count reveals exactly how the performance gap translates to participation depth. A boy who barely surpasses the women’s world record is still an elite teenage athlete — competing at the very top of US high school competition.
T&FN annual top 25 in 2023 had 25th place at 4:06.13 (under women's WR of 4:07.64), so all 25 confirmed beat the WR. 2024 top 20 visible all under WR (4:04.10 at #20); positions 21-25 inferred to also beat WR based on trend. Sub-4:00 milestone has been achieved by 35 unique US HS boys (53 performances) per Wikipedia as of mid-2026; additional athletes who ran 4:00-4:07.64 push the all-time estimat...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the women's world record in the Mile?
The women's world record in the Mile is 4:07.64, set at the elite international level.
How many US high school boys have beaten the women's Mile world record all-time?
Approximately 400* US high school boys have beaten the women's Mile world record of 4:07.64 in recorded history. This figure is an estimate based on annual list depth over 30+ seasons.
How many high school boys beat the women's Mile world record in 2024?
In 2024, approximately 25 US high school boys surpassed the women's Mile world record of 4:07.64.
Why do so many (or so few) boys beat the women's Mile world record?
The count depends on three factors: participation volume (sprints have far more athletes than distance events or throws), the margin of the women's world record, and equipment differences where applicable. The Mile falls in the rare-achievement category, reflecting the structure of competitive depth at the high school level.