Three minutes and 57.89 seconds.
That was all senior Ray Sellaro needed to run a mile on Saturday, Jan. 29 at the Sykes Sabock Challenge, placing him second in Penn’s record book. With that time, he also joins just three other Penn athletes to have completed a sub-four minute indoor mile.
“For everyone who competes in the event, it’s a longstanding milestone to be a sub-four-minute miler,” Penn track and field coach Steve Dolan said. “He’s now a part of an elite group of Penn runners, and he continues to show consistency at a very high level.”
“It was really special to finally break four minutes, and I was really thankful to have all my teammates and coaches there with me," Sellaro said. "It is definitely a moment that I will never forget."
His achievement comes after three seasons of minimal competition time, first due to COVID-19, then due to an injury. Outside of the 2021 cross country season, the last time Sellaro officially ran for the Red and Blue was the indoor 2020 season, which he concluded with a second-place finish and second team All-Ivy honors at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships.
“When Ray first came to Penn, I was very excited because I knew that he was a talented athlete," Dolan said. "His sophomore year, he really broke out and competed well, running a 4:01 mile. He certainly showed skill when he came in, and it’s fun to see him back as a senior running the best that he’s ever run.”
“I’m not going to set any limits. I’m really excited about where the whole team is at right now, and I think we can all have a great season going forward,” Sellaro said.
When Sellaro started running in middle school, it was just for off-season conditioning. He was initially a sprinter, but moved to the mile by high school and stuck with it — according to himself, thanks to great coaches and teammates. Now a college senior with a place in Penn track and field history, Sellaro is staying humble and just hopes to be remembered as a good teammate and a source of positive energy.
“I’m just proud that I’ve been able to leave a mark on each of the teams I’ve been on,” Sellaro said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some of my best friends over the years on these teams, and I’m just glad that I’ve had these experiences.”
“Ray really sets the tone with his work ethic and his dreams about being a great runner,” Dolan said. “He’s been a key part of our team for the last four years and will definitely be missed.”
As the indoor 2022 season winds down, remember the four Penn indoor track and field athletes with a sub-four-minute mile: Thomas Awad, Chris Hatler, Colin Daly, and, now, Ray Sellaro.
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