Alan Webb to Compete at 2009 Kansas Relays

April 2, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Alan Webb, the American Record holder in the Mile (3:46.91), will compete in this year’s Kansas Relays looking to run the first sub-four minute mile at the Relays since Paul McMullen accomplished the feat in 1997 (3:59.88).

Webb, a former University of Michigan star, is a member of the Nike club team as well as the USA Track & Field squad. The Reston, Va., native is a three-time USA Outdoor Champion in the 1,500 meters and the 2007 USA Indoor mile champion.

Webb holds the national high school records for the indoor mile, outdoor mile and 1,500 meters. He also holds the national high school mile record for sophomores (4:06.94). As a Michigan Wolverine, Webb was the 2001 Big Ten Conference Cross Country champion and the 2002 Big Ten 1,500 meters champion.

Webb broke the American record in the mile on July 21, 2007, in a time of 3:46.91 in Brasschaa, Belgium. The previous record was 3:47.69, set by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Steve Scott in 1982. Along with having the fastest mile time in American history, Webb is also the eighth-fastest man in the history of the world, behind Hicham El Guerrouj, Noah Ngeny, Noureddine Morceli, Steve Cram, Daniel Komen, Venuste Niyongabo and Said Aouita.

The Kansas Relays record in the mile is held by Kansas legend Jim Ryun, who clocked in at 3:54.70 in 1967. Webb and his competitors will run the Glenn Cunningham Invitational Mile at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, April 18, at 12:55 p.m.