ST. LOUIS, Missouri — Jackson Spencer of Herriman High School in Utah produced the race of his life on Thursday night, storming to victory in the HOKA HS Boys Championship Mile at the HOKA Festival of Miles with a national-leading 3:57.24 performance.
Competing against one of the deepest high school mile fields assembled this season, Spencer took control early and never allowed anyone to challenge him over the closing stages. The Utah senior opened with a controlled 60.08-second first lap before reaching the halfway mark in 1:59.12 and passing 1,200 meters in 2:59.18.
With the pace quickening entering the final lap, Spencer found another gear and blasted home in 58.06 seconds to break the tape comfortably and become the U.S. high school leader for 2026.
Spencer’s HOKA HS Boys Championship Mile?
His winning mark also ranks among the fastest performances in meet history and further cements his status as one of the nation’s premier distance runners.
The battle for the remaining podium places was equally impressive as Pennsylvania’s Carter Smith dipped under four minutes for the first time, finishing second in 3:59.00. Smith moved into contention during the latter stages and closed strongly to secure the runner-up spot.
Arkansas standout Brian Burns joined Spencer and Smith under the four-minute barrier, taking third in 3:59.70 after running a patient race before launching his finishing kick over the final lap.
Colorado’s Rocco Culpepper narrowly missed becoming the fourth sub-four-minute performer of the evening, clocking 4:00.37 for fourth place, while Tennessee’s Andrew Beroset rounded out the top five in 4:00.68.
The depth of the field was remarkable, with six athletes running 4:00.90 or faster and seven finishing under 4:03, underscoring why the HOKA Festival of Miles remains one of the premier distance-running events in the United States.
HOKA HS Boys Championship Mile Top 10 Results
- Jackson Spencer (Herriman, UT) – 3:57.24
- Carter Smith (Mifflin County, PA) – 3:59.00
- Brian Burns (Bentonville, AR) – 3:59.70
- Rocco Culpepper (Niwot, CO) – 4:00.37
- Andrew Beroset (McCallie School, TN) – 4:00.68
- Abdinasir Hassan (Northfield, CO) – 4:00.90
- Camden Gibson (College Park, TX) – 4:02.94
- Marcelo Mantecon (Belen Jesuit Prep, FL) – 4:04.70
- Maximo Zavaleta (Martin Luther King, CA) – 4:04.92
- Noah Strohman (Holliday, TX) – 4:07.83
Spencer’s 3:57.24 was the only performance under 3:58 on the night and highlighted an outstanding evening of racing at the 2026 HOKA Festival of Miles.
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