Sorensen shooting for mile record again — in youth meet
Jim Sorensen isn’t done after all! The M40 middle-distance phenom is set to run a mile Friday at Benedictine University in the Chicago suburb of Lisle. And he told Jeff Faraudo of the Oakland Tribune: “I’d like to lower my American record and shoot for the world record of 4:02.53. The supreme goal would be to break 4 minutes.” His race will be an exhibition at the USA Youth Championships. Great showcase and model for the kidlets. Last week, Jim wrote me that his Bloomington 800 would be his final race of the season. Glad to see he’s changed his mind!
Here’s Jeff’s report in today’s paper:
Sorensen sets Masters 800 record
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
For the second time in a month, San Leandro’s Jim Sorensen inked his name in the world-record books for Masters track and field.
Sorensen, 40, broke the world age-group record for 800 meters Saturday night in Bloomington, Ind., running 1 minute, 50.34 to erase the mark of 1:50.69, set by Ireland’s Colm J. Rothery in 2000.
The Bancroft Middle School teacher set the world Masters 40 record for 1,500 meters on June 3, running 3:44.06. He also established an American age-group record in the mile last Wednesday, clocking 4:05.27.
“I ran that mile on Wednesday and didn’t feel the greatest. I felt pretty good for this race,” Sorensen said. “I just tried to be aggressive the whole way. I’m definitely pleased. I was excited when I saw the time come up on the results boards.”
Sorensen’s mark eclipsed his own two-month-old American age-group record of 1:51.57 in the 800. His time was faster that his collegiate best and was the second-fastest he’s run in 10 years.
Sorensen, sponsored by the Sports Basement, will run once more this summer, in an exhibition mile race Friday in suburban Chicago during the U.S. Youth Championships.
