8 Olympians Set to Race in Hoka One One Long Island Mile

Do you miss watching track in the Olympics? Well, it just so happens that eight Olympians will be at St. Anthony’s High School Wednesday to race in the second annual Hoka One One Long Island Mile.

Dix Hills native Kyle Merber organized, and will run in, the mile race at St. Anthony’s High School track for runners of all ability levels, including elite men and women. The event is also great for spectators looking to witness a sub-four minute mile with their own eyes.

Merber set up the event for the second year with help from Smithtown Running Company and his sponsor Hoka One One.

The event begins at 7 p.m. at St. Anthony’s High School Track, located at 275 Wolf Hill Road in South Huntington. The elite races are expected to go off at 8:30 p.m.

Last year’s race had seven men break the 4 minute mile barrier while seven women ran faster than 4 minutes and 40 seconds.

David Torrence’s time of 3 minutes and 53.91 seconds was the fastest mile on Long Island in 17 years and narrowly missed the Long Island record. The fastest mile ever run on Long Island was a time of 3 minutes and 53.39 seconds by Moroccan athlete Noureddine Morceli in 1998.

For the men, athletes set to run have the potential to break that record this year, including:

• Kyle Merber, Dix Hills native, meet director
• Leo Manzano, 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist, 2008 Olympian
• David Torrence, 2015 Hoka LI Mile Winner, 2016 Olympian (Peru)
• Hamish Carson, 2016 Olympian (New Zealand)
• Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, 2016 Olympian (Canada)
• Julian Matthews, 2016 Olympian (New Zealand)
• Chris O’Hare, 2016 Olympian (Great Britian)
• Ford Palmer
• Johnny Gregorek
• Riley Masters
• Colby Alexander
• Daniel Winn
• Eric Avilia
• Peter Callahan
• Declan Murray, rabbit

For the elite women, Amanda Eccleston ran away from the field in 2015 with a time of 4 minutes and 29.99 seconds. The women’s Long Island record of 4 minutes and 20.29 seconds is within reach this year with this stacked field:

• Amanda Eccleston, 2015 Hoka LI Mile Winner
• Marielle Hall, 2016 Olympian
• Ajee Wilson, 2016 Olympian
• Emily Lipari, Roslyn High School graduate
• Lianne Farber, Northport native
• Nicole Tully
• Stephanie Schappert
• Stephanie Brown
• Katie Mackey
• Emma Bates
• Rachel Schneider
• Shannon Osika
• Lauren Johnson
• Lauren Wallace
• Steph Herrick, rabbit

Before the main event, there will be a 400m fun run race for kids, a local open championship mile race, an elite race walk race and a local masters championship race. Anyone interested in running in the Hoka One One Long Island Mile can sign up here.

Racers can expect race t-shirts, a chance to win prize money, running vendors at the meet and more.

Photo Credit: Foon Fu