Angelina Alder Sets 12 Year Old Mile World Record In 4:40.98

Apr 19, 2026

Utah 7th grader Angelina Alder shattered the 12 Year Old Mile World Record running 4:40.98 to win the Middle School Mile at the ASICS Carolina Distance Carnival. The previous record was 4:46.57 held by Australia's Imogen Stewart set in 2005. Her mark was also under Stewart's 13 Year Old World Record of 4:44.73.

Alder took the race out in 1:08.2 for the first 409m with Scotlyn Szabo (TN) on her inside ready to battle early. Molly Mocko (IL) would lead Jane Eller (OK) and Athena Pluchos (NC) sitting third through fifth just behind and still out in a hot pace.

Szabo would still hold the inside position through halfway running a 2:22.0 through the halfway mark with Alder on her outside stride for stride. Alder was just under pace she needs to break the 12 Year Old world record.

Alder would move to the front on the third lap picking up the pace to a 1:12.4 from a 1:13.8 as she'd take the bell. Szabo was two seconds back in 3:36.1 with Pluchos moving up two seconds behind her just passing Mocko and Eller.

If things weren't impressive enough, Alder closed in 1:06.4 celebrating through the line in 4:40.99 to a massive personal best. Pluchos would catch Szabo with a strong kick to take second in a new personal best of 4:50.16 to Szabo's 4:51.61 also a personal best for the Full Mile and 1600m. Mocko would run 4:55.00 for fourth just ahead of Jane Eller who set a personal best in 4:55.43.

Place	Athlete	Year	Team	Time	Heat	409m	809m	1200m	Mile
1	Angelina Alder	7	Utah	4:40.98 MR	6	1st- 1:08.2 1:08.2	2nd1 2:22.1 1:13.8	1st1 3:34.5 1:12.4	1st- 4:40.9 1:06.4
2	Athena Pluchos	8	Marvin Ridge Middle School	4:50.16 USA Top 10	6	5th- 1:09.3 1:09.3	5th- 2:23.9 1:14.6	3rd2 3:38.8 1:14.8	2nd1 4:50.1 1:11.2
3	Scotlyn Szabo	8	Tennessee	4:51.61	6	2nd- 1:08.2 1:08.2	1st1 2:22.0 1:13.7	2nd1 3:36.1 1:14.0	3rd1 4:51.6 1:15.4
4	Molly Mocko	8	Illinois	4:55.00	6	3rd- 1:08.7 1:08.7	3rd- 2:23.1 1:14.3	4th1 3:39.8 1:16.7	4th- 4:55.0 1:15.1
5	Jane Eller	8	Jenks America Track Club	4:55.43 USA Top 50	6	4th- 1:09.0 1:09.0	4th- 2:23.4 1:14.3	5th1 3:40.1 1:16.6	5th- 4:55.4 1:15.

In February, Alder ran a 4:47 Mile in Provo at 5000 feet altitude that just missed the record. Altitude conversions proved true last night as her mark converts to 4:42 for the Mile at sea level.

Alder's older sister's Carmen Alder and Vanessa Alder compete for BYU and ran for Pinecrest (NC) during high school with Carmen graduating from the school in 2021. Mother Janeth Alder was a two time All-American for BYU in the 1994 Indoor 3000m and 1996 Outdoor 1500m. She also competed for the Ecuador National Team. She is the youngest of five with Lily and Michael Alder competing at the meet with Lily, a senior at Timpview, running 4:38.71 for the HS Mile taking 2nd overall.

Angelina turns 13 in late May and now has shattered a World Record that previously held for 21 years.

Results

Race Video