In our modern world of extreme challenges, obstacle races and ultra-marathons running the mile may seem a humble feat, but no one can deny the incredible guts, strength and power that went into these performances. MR looks at the best milers in history…
Walter George (centre)
George held the world record mile time for almost 30 years, the longest running time since records began. He turned from amateur to professional to challenge the dominance of William Cummings, the man he beat on that fateful day in 1886.
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Bannister is famous for being the first man to run a sub-four minute mile. He ran 3:59.4 back in 1954 at Iffley Road Track in Oxford.
John Landy
With Bannister being the first to break the four-minute barrier, his record takes the gloss off Landy’s time of 3:57.9 that the Australian set 46 days later. But it was a remarkable performance.
Steve Ovett & Sebastian Coe
The pair regularly traded world record times over a period between 1979 and 1981. Coe was the first and last to break the record out of the pair, lowering the time from 3:48.95 to 3:47.33.
Steve Cram
Cram was just a youngster learning his trade when Coe and Ovett were at the height of theirpowers, finishing eighth as the pair vied for gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but he would turn master some five years later beating the world record with an impressive
Hicham El Guerrouj
Moroccan El Guerrouj is the current world record holder and has been for 15 years, posting a time of 3:43.13 in Rome back in 1999.
And by comparison…
The fastest race horse over a mile was Mr. Light, running the eight furlongs in 1:31.41. Andy Green travelled over 700mph in his ThrustSSC jet-propelled car, travelling a mile in just a few seconds.
