University of North Carolina Athletics
On This Day in UNC History
June 21, 1999 | General
Despite a bumping incident on the backstretch, North Carolina's Tony Waldrop ran a record fourth straight sub-four-minute mile at the Los Angles Times Indoor Games.
Waldrop, a senior from Columbus, N.C., defeated Steve Prefontaine with a time of 3:58.3. Previously, no one had ever run more than two straight sub-four-minute miles in an indoor season. In fact, no one had even run four at any time in an indoor season prior to Waldrop's performance.
He had earlier defeated Juris Luzins at the Chesterfield East Coast Relays, defeated Marty Liquori with the first sub-four-minute performance in the history of the 57-year-old Millrose Games and then beaten Liquori and Dave Wottle at the Philadelphia Track Classic.
At the Los Angeles Sports Arena, Waldrop was bumped by Prefontaine on the backstretch, but won going away. Waldrop not only didn't let the incident bother him, he didn't even seem to notice it.
"I'm sure Steve didn't realize he ran into me," said Waldrop afterwards.
A Morehead Scholar, Waldrop was an All-America in the 880 as a sophomore and as a junior in cross country and the indoor 1000. He was NCAA champion in the 1000. He had not planned to switch to the mile until his senior year. But, a hip injury took away some of his 880 speed and he ran the mile on occasion as a junior.
No one could have imagined the way he would dominate the event during his senior year. Before his streak ended, he would run an incredible 11 consecutive sub-four-minute miles.
