Connor Melko closed in 2:07.2 and 62.3 to win the mile at the Ocean Breeze Invitational Saturday on Staten Island, N.Y.
Melko, a Bishop Eustace senior, outran Camden Gilmore of Loyola Blakefield, who was second in 4:20.14 and closed in 62.1. Cherokee’s Ethan Wechsler took third in a PR 4:20.21.
For comparison purposes, those times convert to 4:17.51 for Melko and 4:18.70 for Wechsler for 1,600 meters.
Melko’s previous indoor PR was 4:22.78 at last year’s Meet of Champions. His outdoor PR of 4:16.20 came last spring at a Holmdel Twilight Series meet.
Wechsler’s PR was 4:34.16 indoors last year at Toms River and 4:22.70 outdoors, also at Holmdel.
Looks like Eustace’s previous indoor school record was 4:23.86 over a full mile by Andy Arnold in 2009.
Melko led the pack through 220 meters in 33.0 and the quarter in 66.62. He came through the half in 2:12.70 before reeling off laps of 31.7, 32.5, 31.9 and 30.5 over the final 880.
Melko and Wechsler are now ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in South Jersey this year and No. 5 and 6 in New Jersey.
Wechsler’s time is fastest by a Burlington County miler indoors in 10 years, since Shawnee’s Dave Forward ran 4:16.71 at Eastern’s, converted from a full mile.
