John Gregorek Jr.

Johnny Gregorek Jr. is an American middle distance runner.[1] He competed in the 2017 World Championships in the 1500, where he placed 10th in a time of 3:37.56. As of May 2020, Gregorek holds the world record for the fastest Blue Jean Mile, ran in a time of 4:06.25. [2]

Johnny Gregorek Jr.
Johnny Greogrek
Personal information
Born (1991-12-07) December 7, 1991
Seekonk, Massachusetts
Height6 ft (183 cm)
Weight149 lb (68 kg)
Sport
SportTrack
Event(s)1500 meters, Mile, 800 meters
College teamColumbia University, Oregon Ducks
ClubAsics/New Jersey-New York TC
Turned pro2015
Achievements and titles
World finals10th, London 2017
Personal best(s)1500m-3:35.00 1 Mile-3:49.98
Medal record
Pan American Games
2019 Lima1500 m
Updated on 8/11/2019.

Biography

Gregorek's father John Gregorek competed in steeplechase for the 1980 and 1984 Olympic teams.[3] His mother, Christine Mullen,[4] was an Olympic trials finalist[5] and competed in the 1980s for Athletics West in Eugene, Oregon.[3]

Gregorek was raised in Seekonk, Massachusetts,[3] where he helped Seekonk High School win the state cross country title.[6] He earned a degree from Columbia University, then, taking advantage of an NCAA rule which allows athletes to transfer to another school for a fifth year of competition, joined the Oregon Ducks.[3]

Gregorek finished in 6th place at the 2016 US Olympic Trials.[7] In 2017, he qualified for the World Championships in London for 1500m, where he finished 10th, following his 3rd place finish at the US Championships.[8] In 2019, he ran 3:49.98 for 1 mile at Boston University,[9] making his time second on the All-Time American Indoor Mile list.[10] He and his father share the record for the fastest father-son mile duo in world history.[11][12]

On May 30th 2020, Gregorek ran what is believed to be the fastest mile ever run by someone wearing blue jeans in 4 minutes and 6.25 seconds, beating the previous world record by five seconds. Gregorek ran the Blue Jean Mile wearing 100% cotton Levi’s, while raising over $37,500 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). He ran the mile in memory of his younger brother Patrick, who passed away suddenly in March of 2019 after struggling with mental health.[13]

Personal

In January 2019, Gregorek married Amy Nunes.[14]

Notes
  1. "Athlete Profile: John Gregorek". IAAF. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiIC1eMS8ts
  3. Goe, Ken (3 February 2015). "Transfer track star Johnny Gregorek is making himself at home in Eugene". Oregon Live. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  4. "Proud Seekonk Grandpa and other local sports notes". The Sun Chronicle. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  5. Waldron, Jon (3 October 2008). "Is it Time for Johnny Gregorek?". NNHS Track and Cross-Country. Retrieved 7 December 2017. He is the son of Christine Gregorek, an Olympic Trials finalist and still owner of a share of the U.S. 4x800m record, and John, an Olympian in the steeplechase in 1984, and owner of a 3:51 mile PR and 8:18 steeple PR.
  6. "2015 Track & Field Roster". Go Ducks. University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  7. "TFRRS | 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Men 1500m Run Track & Field Meet Results". www.tfrrs.org. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  8. "TFRRS | USATF Championships Men 1500m Run SR Track & Field Meet Results". www.tfrrs.org. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  9. https://www.flotrack.org/articles/6380519-yomif-kejelcha-blasts-34701-mile-world-record-gregorek-goes-349
  10. "All-Time Lists - Mile History". Bring Back the Mile. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  11. https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=461901
  12. "Father-Son Sub-4 Combo Club - Mile History". Bring Back the Mile. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  13. https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a32720592/johnny-gregorek-blue-jeans-mile-record/
  14. Hollobaugh, Jeff. "Late-Blooming Gregorek Breaks 3:50 Barrier". Track & Field News. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
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