Ryun’s Records In The Summer Of ’66

50 years ago Jim Ryun broke the mile World record with 3:51.3. The following year he lowered that to 3:51.1. It lasted as the World junior (U/20) record for 30 years!

Jim’s NCAA 800 metres record was 50 years old on Friday, before it was finally broken. It was a World record when it was set. Not a bad summer for the Kansas teenager!

Ryun was voted the greatest high school athlete ever (in any sport), in front of Tiger Woods and LeBron James. He became the first high school athlete ever to break the four minute mile barrier, the world’s youngest at 17. Five days before his sixteenth birthday, he ran a World age record 4:19.7. 50 years ago, I beat this time, in a British Milers Club race, doing a British age 15 record of 4:17.8, a month before my 2000 metres record. My split time at 1500 metres was 3:59.8, one of the youngest runners ever to break the magic four minutes.

 

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British Record — subfour

via British Record — subfour

Flying Finn — subfour

via Flying Finn — subfour

2000 Metres

New York, 1925. Paavo Nurmi’s 2000 metres indoor WR, 5:33.0, stood as the Finnish record for 71 years. My British age 15 record, 5:33.1, one of the oldest in British athletics, was set 50 years ago.

1979 – Leading Steve Ovett

Set one of the oldest records in British Athletics at Crystal Palace on October 14, 1970, winning the 2000 metres in a British, European and World age 15 record 5:33.1. The existing World and European record was set in 2015, by Norwegian sensation, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, with 5.24.41. Tim’s record lasted 23 years until it was beaten by Croatia’s Dalibor Balgac, in 1993, with 5.25.69. His record lasted 22 years. On his Tour of America, in 1925, legendary Flying Finn, Paavo Nurmi, set a World Indoor 2000 metres record of 5:33.0.

 

Profile

http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=39162

2012 UK All-Time Age Records

http://web.archive.org/web/20120721013217/http://www.thepowerof10.info/records

UK All-Time Youth (U/18) Lists

http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/mu18.htm

Yahoo GoeCities 2001-2009

http://www.oocities.org/subfourdotnet

Webring Webspace 2009-2013

http://web.archive.org/web/20131010021506/http://www.subfour.net

World’s First Sub Four Minute 1500 Metres

1908 Olympics in London / 1500m Sport / Olympic Games. – Opening of the the 4th Olympic Games in London, 13 July 1908: Melvin Winfield Sheppard (USA) beats Harold Alexander Wilson (GBR) to win the 1500 metres final.

1. Melvin Sheppard (USA) 4:03.4 (olympic record)
2. Harold Wilson (GBR) 4:03.6
3. Norman Hallows (GBR) 4:04.0

 

Paris Diamond League/Muir Beats Olympic Champion In A British Record

  

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Harrison Runs Time That Would Have Won Gold In Rio

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Lausanne Diamond League

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The Greatest Show On Earth

 

Britain becomes the first host nation to increase their medal total at the next Olympics and the first country to increase their medal total at five consecutive Olympics.

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