Sailor Runs World Record 1.5 Mile, Fails Pushup Portion of Fitness Test
PENSACOLA, FL — A U.S. Navy Sailor who smashed through the world record for the 1.5 mile run Tuesday is being discharged from the military for failing to maintain physical fitness standards, officials said.
His run record was one part of a bi-annual fitness exam mandated by the Navy called the Physical Readiness Test (PRT).
With a 1.5 mile run time of 5:21.04, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jay Legasse broke the previous record by 35 seconds, and his one mile split also broke the world record for the mile run by three seconds. In spite of his running prowess, the Navy is forcing him out for his third PRT failure, based on his inability to complete more than 14 pushups at a time.
“I’m just really disappointed in myself,” Legasse told Duffel Blog reporters. “I just wish I was more physically fit.”
In June, the Navy will discharge Legasse, a 6’2” 160 lb. airman working at Naval Air Station Pensacola.
In an official statement, a Navy spokesman said the service “strictly enforces fitness standards to …
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