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Simeon Birnbaum ran a 3:59.51 mile to win the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle Washington
Rodney Haas - 605 Sports

Simeon Birnbaum clocks sub 4-minute mile to win Brooks PR Invitational

Jun 15, 2022

SEATTLE — Rapid City Stevens’ Simeon Birnbaum joined an exclusive club Wednesday when he ran the mile in a meet-record 3:59.51, winning against a stacked field of elite runners at the Brooks PR Invitational.

Birnbaum announced himself as one of the country’s top high school milers in April when he won that race at the Arcadia Invitational (California) in April (4:07.88).

Like he did at the Arcadia meet Birnbaum ran near the back of the pack for the first 400 meters. Over the next two laps he worked his way into a group of five that separated from the rest of the field.

Runnin' Raider Simeon Birnbaum trains with a purpose and is intentional with all facets of being a student athlete and competitor.
1600 m run winner in Seattle at Brooks PR meet and runs a "sub 4"
3:59.51 pic.twitter.com/c5tHtzVT70
�" Stevens Raiders (@rcstevensraider) June 16, 2022

Coming off the final turn, the soon-to-be senior at Rapid City Stevens unleashed a monster kick that no athlete could match.

Birnbaum becomes the 16th high school athlete in high school track and field history to break four minutes in the mile. He is the second junior to go under four minutes, following Connor Burns, Southern Boone (Missouri).

On Friday, Birnbaum will team up with Alex Otten (400 meters), Justin Juniel (200 meters) and Tanner Lunders (200 meters) for the sprint medley relay in Eugene, Oregon, at the Nike High School Outdoor Track and Field Nationals.

On Sunday, Birnbaum will close out his 2022 season running the 800 meters at the Nike Nationals.

During the high school season, Birnbaum won the Class AA boys 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs, while he ran the anchor leg on Stevens' winning sprint medley relay team.