Phillips to Chase Sub-Four Minute Mile in Eugene
5/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. - Andy Phillips will represent Gonzaga track in the mile invitational at the Oregon Twilight at historic Hayward Field Friday. He'll be going for the illustrious four-minute mile barrier, the most significant time goal in American track and field.
Phillips, the program record holder in the 800 meters, has a personal record time of 3:46.77 in the 1,500 meters. That time is currently third on the school's all-time list. He ran that time last season at the West Coast Invite. The senior ran his best time this year is at Hayward Field during the Oregon Relays at 3:49.08.
At the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on April 3, Phillips finished his lone outdoor mile race with a time of 4:07.24. The Jackson Hole, Wyo. native, ran his best indoor mile this season at 4:11.12, third on the GU all-time list, during the Husky Classic.
"We were approved to send Andy Phillips and Willie Milam," Gonzaga Director of Track Pat Tyson said. "Willie is not fully recovered from an illness, so we will rest him this weekend. Of the two heats, Andy will be in the mix of one of them. Andy is looking really good in workouts and in actuality, chasing an NCAA West Qualifying mark! He will need to run 4:02.54 (3:44.56) to make number 48. A time of 4:00.84 (3:43.5) would put him in the top 25. Those are some nice challenges for Andy!"
Friday's mile will be the final event of the meet, and the field includes 24 participants that will be broken up into two heats. The race features several talented Oregon runners, former UNC All-American Isaac Presson, Australia's Joshua Wright, and Canadian Luc Bruchet.
The mile will be part of a one-hour window televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. The first heat of the mile is scheduled for a 6:47 p.m. start. Live results and video can also be found online at GoZags.com.
