Matt Scherer

Matt Scherer (November 21, 1983 – December 7, 2021) was an American track and field athlete and a top professional pacemaker.

High school career

Scherer competed for Red Hill High School in Bridgeport, Illinois, from 1999 through 2002. His senior year he scored 28 individual points at the Illinois High School Association State Championship meet, which placed his school 3rd in the team standings.[1]

College career

Scherer attended the University of Oregon from 2003 to 2006 where he studied Business and was a 9-time All-American. In 2005 he ran the anchor leg of the 3rd place 4x400m relay team at the NCAA Championship meet, finishing in a time of 3:00.81 which was ranked #7 all-time in NCAA Championship Meet History. He won the Pac-10 championship in the 400m in 2006 in 45.19.[2]

Professional career

Oregon Track Club

Ran the 400 meter leg of the American Record setting indoor distance medley relay on February 12, 2010.[3]

Ran 1:14.41 in the 600m on June 15, 2008, the 8th fastest time ever run [4]

Personal life

It was announced on December 8, 2021, that Scherer died that week, at the age of 38, as per a statement by RunnerSpace where he worked as the Chief Operating Officer.[5]

Pacing career

Began pacing full-time in 2011 and paced for many of the top 800m and 1500m runners in the world.
This table lists the records he paced:

Date Name Nationality Event Time Record Competition Ref
3 July 2010 Abubaker Kaki  Sudan 1000m 2:13.62 Sudanese National Record
USA Area Record		 Prefontaine Classic
19 February 2011 Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla  Qatar 1000m 2:21.71 Qatari National Indoor Record Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix
18 February 2012 Mohammed Aman  Ethiopia 800m 1:45.40 Ethiopian National Indoor Record XL Galan
29 April 2012 Henrik Ingebrigtsen  Norway 1500m 3:36.39 Norwegian National Record Payton Jordan Invitational
16 May 2012 Mohammed Aman  Ethiopia 800m 1:43.51 Korean Area Record Colorful Daegu Championships Meeting
9 June 2012 David Rudisha  Kenya 800m 1:41.74 USA Area Record adidas Grand Prix
14 July 2012 Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich  Kenya 800m 1:43.15 Kenyan National Junior Record KBC Night of Athletics
20 July 2012 Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich  Kenya 800m 1:43.15 Kenyan National Junior Record Herculis
20 July 2012 Kevin López  Spain 800m 1:43.74 Spanish National Record Herculis
20 August 2012 Nate Brannen  Canada 1000m 2:16.52 Canadian National Record Gugl Games
20 August 2012 Mohamed Al-Garni  Qatar 1000m 2:17.32 Qatari National Record Gugl Games
21 February 2013 Mohammed Aman  Ethiopia 800m 1:45.05 Ethiopian National Indoor Record DN Galan

Personal bests

  • 200m - 20.89 - 5/13/2006 [6]
  • 300m - 32.77 - 8/8/2006 [7]
  • 400m - 45.19 - 5/14/2006 [2]
  • 400m Hurdles - 53.21 - 2003
  • 600m - 1:14.41 - 6/15/2008 [4]
  • 800m - 1:46.11 - 6/8/2008 [8]

References

  1. ^ "Records & History". Ihsa.org. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  2. ^ a b "2006 Pac-10 Track and Field Championships Men 400m Dash". DirectAthletics. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  3. ^ http://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=5&do=news&year=2010&news_id=9178&folder_id=recent
  4. ^ a b "Men's 600m". Alltime-athletics.com. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  5. ^ "Former Oregon Ducks, pro runner Matt Scherer dies at 38". Oregon Live. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  6. ^ "2006 Pac-10 Track and Field Championships Men 200m Dash". DirectAthletics. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  7. ^ "Men's 300m". Alltime-athletics.com. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  8. ^ "Eugene Diamond League - Nike Prefontaine Classic - Results/History - 2008 Results".