Just one week after the death of Malibu Olympic runner David Torrence, the HOKA ONE ONE Long Island Mile men’s elite race was renamed in his honor: the David Torrence Mile. The race, which takes place annually in Huntington, NY, was scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 6, and included 10 Olympian competitors vying for the men’s and women’s titles.
Torrence, who was found unresponsive in a swimming pool in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Monday, Aug. 28, was a middle-distance runner who represented Peru in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was the current defending Long Island Mile champion. Torrence was a two-time title holder in the Long Island mile race and was listed as a competitor in the 2017 contest before his unexpected death.
Meet director Kyle Merber was a close friend of Torrence, according to an article published on runnerspace.com, and he moved to name the race in honor of the late 31-year-old Malibuite.
A tribute video to David Torrence is available for viewing on runnerspace.com.