Long middle distance or short long distance running event
3200 metres is an uncommon long middle-distance, or short long-distance, track and field running event that is 200 m longer than the much more common 3,000 metre run, and slightly shorter than the two mile run.
At exactly eight laps on a standard 400 m track, or sixteen laps around an indoor 200 m track, this event is typically run only in American high schools, along with the 1600 m. It is the longest standardized event in track meets conducted by the NFHS in American high school competition. It is colloquially called the "two-mile", despite the distance being 18.688 metres shorter.
In college, the typical runner of this event would convert to the 5,000-metre run, or potentially the 3,000-metre run during the indoor season.
While World Athletics does not recognize an official world record or world best in the 3200 metres, the two mile run can be used as an approximation.[1]
According to NFHS, the current male high school record holder in the 3200 m is Simeon Birnbaum of South Dakota, with a time of 8:34.10 in 2023.[2]
However, there have been faster high school 3200 m times en route to two miles. Aforementioned Simeon Birnbaum ran an 8:31.73 3200 m en route to two miles, also in 2023. Even faster was Lukas Verzbicas, who ran an equivalent 8:26.50 3200 m en route to his high school two mile record of 8:29.46, in 2011, at the Prefontaine Classic.
Therefore, Birnbaum holds the record for the fastest 3200 m exclusively against other high schoolers and not en-route to two miles, while Verzbicas holds the record for fastest ever high school 3200 m (and two miles).
All-time outdoor top 13 high school boys' times (table credit: NFHS)[note 2]
Likewise, the current official female high school record holder in the 3200 m is Katelyn Touhy of New York, with a time of 9:47.88 in 2018.[3]
However, in 2024, Elizabeth Leachman broke Touhy's record twice, first clocking 9:45.57 on February 1 and subsequently 9:43.74 on February 15. The NFHS has yet to ratify this record.[citation needed]
In 2020, en route to two miles, Dalias Frias ran a 9:47.27 equivalent 3200 m in her two mile high school record of 9:50.70, also faster than Touhy's record but still slower than Leachman's new records.[citation needed]
The fastest time ever recorded outdoors for a high school girl in the 3200 m only was by Brynn Brown in 2020, with a time of 9:39.91. However, this time was achieved with two male pacers, during an unofficial workout, on an uncertified course, and was not officially timed, nor officially measured.
Therefore, once ratified, Leachman's 9:43.74 will be the outdoor high school girls' 3200 m record.[citation needed]
However, on June 12, 2024, Allie Zealand ran 9:41.76 for the two miles at the Brooks PR Invitational, which converts down to a 9:38.38 3200 m. Since this 3200 m split was en route to two miles, it is not eligible to be an NFHS 3200 metre record.
If indoor tracks are considered, Mary Cain's 2013 9:38.68 two mile time converts down to a 9:35.32 3200 m, and is the therefore the fastest 3200 m split ever recorded for a high school girl.
All-time outdoor top 19 high school girls' times (table credit: NFHS)[note 2]
