Ben Blankenship

Ben Blankenship (born December 15, 1989 Stillwater, Minnesota)[1] is an American middle distance runner. He is a world record holder as a member of the USA Distance medley relay running the 1600 metre anchor leg.[2]

At Stillwater Area High School, Blankenship was the Minnesota State AA Champion at 1600 meters in both 2006 and 2007. Also in 2006, he led his team to second place in Cross Country. He began his collegiate career at Mississippi State University. After a year there he transferred to his home state University of Minnesota. By 2010, he became the first Golden Gopher to break the 4 minute mile.[3]

Both his best 1500 metres and mile personal track records have been set indoors, his 3:53.13 mile set while finishing second in a world class field at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in 2015 ranks as the #8 time by an American. His road mile personal best of 3:52.7, set while winning the "Minnesota Mile" is the fastest mile in Minnesota state history.[4]

At the 2015 IAAF World Relays Blankenship literally put the weight of his team on his shoulders at the end of the distance medley relay. While he received the baton in first place, similar to a move in track cycling strategy, he immediately conceded the lead to Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot, who in turn broke contact and attempted to run away with the race. Blankenship's even paced lack of aggression also let the Australian team anchor by Collis Birmingham back into contention. When Cheruiyot paid the price for his front running, Blankenship passed the tiring Cheruiyot. But Cheruiyot was not broken and stayed with in contact all the way to the final straightaway where Blankenship's speed put the race away. With the oddly strategic ending, the .06 of a second improvement on the existing world record by a Kenyan team in 2006 was more of an accident than a plan.

A month and a half later, at the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Blankenship finished a disappointing fourth place, .02 behind Leo Manzano, only .03 behind second place Robby Andrews who finished with a late rush, to miss making the team for the 2015 World Championships.[5]

Blankenship currently lives in Eugene, Oregon and trains with the Oregon Track Club.

References

  1. ↑ note: IAAF and University of Minnesota profile list 1989, other sites list 1988
  2. ↑ http://www.iaaf.org/records/by-category/world-records
  3. ↑ http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-track/mtt/ben_blankenship_759811.html
  4. ↑ http://bringbackthemile.com/athletes/detail/benjamin_blankenship
  5. ↑ http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&do=videos&video_id=150434

External links

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