Penn’s Fastest Miler: Tanner Mammolenti

Tanner Mammolenti is one of Penn High School’s best distance runners and one of the best in the region. While the school record seems out of reach this year, he looks to maintain his status as the Kingsmen Track team’s fastest miler.

Entering his senior year, Mammolenti’s fastest mile stands at 4:29.36 which is good for first on the team. Jack Ryan is one of Mammolenti’s teammates.

“He’s a very good competitor and a smart racer. He is one of the top returning regional runners and has a chance of moving on if he has the right race on the right day,” Ryan said. “Off the record, I’m cooking him this year.”

In last year’s regionals, Mammolenti ran his PR (4:29.36) which was good for 6th place finish. In order to move onto state he must make the top three at Regionals. He will need to shave off nearly 10 seconds of his time. 

“It won’t be easy but it’s possible, the amount of work it will take, I’m willing to put in,” Mammolenti said.

Mammolenti has been running for nine years. Penn schools offered a “Running is Elementary” program between the elementary schools and that’s when his running career began. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.

Shameer Turk is a Penn High School 800-meter runner, and one of Mammolenti’s training partners. Turk says that Mammolenti is one of the strongest returning milers in Northern Indiana.

“Tanner’s one of the top mile runners in the area. He’s the number one returner this year in the sectional and number four returner in the regional. We train a lot during the track season and one thing about Tanner is that he’s extremely hard working in practice and always has the best race when it count most. At regionals, top 3 in each event makes it to state and I think Tanner has a decent chance of making it this year with his racing abilities,” Turk said.

Turk had alot to say about Mammolenti as a returning runner. Entering his 4th year, he has more support and belief in him from peers than he has ever had. With a revenge season to fuel him, the team is more excited than ever to see what he can do on the track.