Mile National Record Shattered at Boston University
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History was made Friday night at the Boston University Terrier DMR Challenge as Owen Powell officially broke the high school national record in the indoor mile, running 3:56.66. His performance surpassed the previous record of 3:57.66, set by Hobbs Kessler in 2021, cementing Powell's place as the fastest indoor high school miler of all time.
Just a week after running the second-fastest all-conditions mile in high school history, Powell returned to Boston University looking to make another statement. Positioned in the top heat, he chased the lead pack early, splitting 1:58.05 through 809 meters. Over the final laps, he stayed strong, stringing together four consecutive sub-30-second laps to power through the finish line, placing eighth overall and rewriting history.
Remarkably, Powell was not the only high schooler to dip under the four-minute barrier. In a rare and unprecedented feat, two other high schoolers joined him in the sub-4:00 club, with one even joining him under Kessler's former record. Josiah Tostenson of Crater High School in Oregon ran 3:57.47 in the second heat, also breaking Kessler's mark and securing his spot in history. His teammate, Tayvon Kitchen, who had already made headlines last week by breaking the national high school 3,000-meter record with a time of 7:55.48, followed closely behind, running 3:59.61.
All-Time Fastest Boys Indoor Mile Times
| Rank | Runner | Time | Year |
| 1 | 3:56.66 | 2025 | |
| 2 | 3:57.47 | 2025 | |
| 3 | 3:57.66 | 2021 | |
| 4 | 3:57.81 | 2016 | |
| 5 | 3:58.25 | 2016 | |
| 6 | 3:58.81 | 2022 | |
| 7 | 3:59.11 | 2023 | |
| 8 | 3:59.61 | 2025 | |
| 9 | 3:59.86 | 2001 | |
| 10 | 3:59.87 | 2024 |
Their performances marked a historic moment in high school distance running. Tostenson and Kitchen became the first-ever pair of high school teammates to break four minutes in the same race, an achievement never before seen indoors. While there have been three outdoor races featuring multiple high schoolers under four minutes, this was the first time it had ever happened indoors.
Powell, who is committed to the University of Washington, will soon train alongside some of the best mid-distance runners in the country. His record-breaking performance, combined with the rise of Tostenson and Kitchen, signals a new era of high school distance running. With Indoor Nationals just around the corner, this race may only be the beginning of an even bigger season for these young stars.