By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

One week after winning two Class AA state track titles, Rob Finnerty was still running strong.

The Burnsville graduate won the 1,600 meters at the Midwest Distance Gala in Illinois on June 14 recording the seventh-fastest high school mile in U.S. history. His time of 4 minutes, 1.09 seconds is also the fastest mile recorded in the nation this year from a high school runner.

Finnerty's time is the fastest in Minnesota high school history by four seconds. Garry Bjorklund of Proctor held the old mark (4:05.1) at the 1969 state meet.

Finnerty finished ahead of Rosemount's Jordan Carlson at the Midwest Distance Gala. Carlson's time was 4:07.18.

At the state meet on June 7, Finnerty edged Carlson for the 1,600 title by less than a second (4:10.43 and 4:10.72, respectively). Finnerty also won the 3,200 at state the day before, beating out Carlson again. Finnerty owns the Burnsville school record in the 1,600 (4:06.49), as well as the 3,200 (8:56.04) and the 800 (1:54.51).

Finnerty will attend the University of Wisconsin next fall to run Division I cross country and track. His four-year high school track resume includes two state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200, two runner-up finishes in the 1,600 and a runner-up and third-place finish in the 3,200. He also helped the Blaze's 4 x 400 relay team to a fifth-place at the state meet this past season.

Finnerty won the Class AA state cross country title last fall as well.