PORTLAND, Ore. — Bozeman High School distance standout Nathan Neil on Friday ran the mile in 4:01.31 at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays to establish a new personal record and place himself among the fastest milers in the nation.
Neil outpaced Owen Powell of Mercer Island, Wash., to win the race. Powell finished in 4:02.04. Josiah Tostenson of Central Point, Ore., came in third at 4:03.55.
Neil's time obliterated his previous outdoor mile mark by nearly nine seconds — 4:10.05, established at last spring's Nike/Jesuit relays. He now owns the second-fastest mile time among the country's high school boys, trailing only Drew Griffith of Butler, Penn., who ran a 4:00.77 on April 19.
Neil's fastest 1,600 meters during this year's high school season is 4:13.45, which he ran at the Belgrade Triangular on March 30. The Montana high school record in the 1,600 meters is owned by former Bozeman High runner Weston Brown, who ran a 4:10.68 in 2023. (In Montana, official state track and field records can only be established at state meets.)
Friday's race continued Neil's remarkable season on the national state. He also claimed victory in the two-mile race at the Nike Indoor Nationals in New York City in March, which he ran in 8:47.96 to beat the second-place finisher by roughly 3.5 seconds.
Neil also placed second in the 3,200 meters at the Arcadia Invitational in California earlier this month, running a personal-best time of 8:35.32, improving upon his time at last year’s Arcadia Invitational by nearly 15 seconds.
Neil has also won at the Nike Cross Nationals' Northwest regional competition in Eagle, Idaho, where he set the 5K course record (14:49.60). He set the Montana high school state record at the state cross country meet in Kalispell in October, winning the title in 14:45.47.
Neil, a senior at Bozeman High, has committed to run at the University of Washington.
