He emigrated to the United States in 1888 and generally specialized in longer distances, winning the national 10-mile championship four years in a row starting in 1888.
That record lasted to 1895 as Frederick Bacon ran 4:17 at the AAA Championships at Stamford Bridge, London on 6 July.
Returning to Travers Island a week later, Conneff was paced by 4:21+1⁄5 miler George Orton, who led him to the quarter in 62+2⁄5 and the half in 2:06+3⁄5.
William Lutyens, who had run a 4:19+4⁄5 the year before and had paced Bacon to his record, was forced to drop out of the race, leaving Conneff to trot home in 4:18+1⁄5.
Reporter William B. Curtis described Conneff after the race: "He never was in such fine mettle as during the past four weeks.