History was made on the evening of Saturday, May 18, during the third annual Stars Mile Night at Bishop McGuinness High School. Building upon a massive amount of momentum from the previous two events, this unique and competitive community running event hosted by the Simon Greiner Track & Field Program and Oklahoma City University Cross-Country and Track & Field, brought together runners of all ages, skills, and experience levels, inspiring a new generation of athletes and coaches.
Record-Breaking Participation
This year’s Stars Mile Night drew 475 runners, more than doubling last year’s 232 participants and tripling the number from the inaugural event in 2022. An estimated 1,500 people attended, showcasing the event’s growing popularity and community support.
This year’s event included the following races:
- Elementary 800m
- Middle School Mile
- Scissortail Running Open Mile
- OK Runner High School Mile
- Arnold & Smith Law College Mile
- Simon Greiner Elite Mile
A Historic MILEstone
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly OCU’s Elvert Silva’s performance in the Simon Greiner Elite Mile. Silva made history by finishing with an official time of 3:58.89, marking the first sub-4-minute mile ever recorded on an outdoor track in Oklahoma. This extraordinary achievement rewrote the Oklahoma history books and set a new standard for competitive running in the region.
Star Performances
In addition to Silva’s historic run, participants set several other event records throughout the evening.
Yazmine Wright posted an impressive 4:45.05 in the Simon Greiner Elite Women’s Mile.
Angel Sanchez from Fort Worth finished the High School Boys’ Mile race in 4:07.92.
Brody Woodcock from Deer Creek High School had the fastest Oklahoma High School Boys’ Mile with a 4:10.25 finish. His time bested last year’s Stars Mile Night High School Boys’ Mile top finish and is the fastest Oklahoma high school mile in the previous two years by almost two seconds.
Natalie Duggan from Edmond Santa Fe was the fastest High School Girls’ Mile runner with a time of 5:02.87.
Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris, who was a high school “rival” of Simon Greiner, topped the Scissortail Running Open Mile with a 4:21.96.
Celebrating OKCPS’s Brightest Stars
Stars Mile Night also celebrated the achievements of two exceptional OKCPS runners.
Daryen “DJ” Jefferson from Douglass High School and Cameron Pearson from U.S. Grant High School were each awarded the Simon Greiner Track & Field Program Scholarship for $1,000.
Both DJ and Cameron will continue their running careers in college next year. DJ will run cross-country and track for Sterling College in Sterling, KS, while Cameron will join the MACU cross-country and track program in Oklahoma City.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Rising Stars
Stars Mile Night is more than just a running event; it is a celebration of community, perseverance, and the spirit of running. By bringing together runners of all ages and skill levels, the event inspires the next generation of athletes and fosters a supportive environment for personal and athletic growth.
As we look forward to next year’s Stars Mile Night and Simon Greiner Elite Mile, the impact of this year’s event will undoubtedly continue to resonate, motivating runners and coaches to push their limits and chase history.