Meeting John Landy : The 1954 Miracle Mile Athlete

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The First Question we were asked by our Melbourne hosts as we conversed from the airport to their home:

So why did you choose Australia?

Ken's story: "When I was in grade 10 in Cornwall, Ontario I had a dream to be the top runner in Canada! I started reading the books and new research on running. (circa 1968) The book which captured my imagination was about the runners who trained on the sand dunes of Perth, international names like John Landy, Herb Elliot and Roger Bannister. I vaguely knew the location of Perth and as a teen decided I would go there."

Our hosts calmly comment: " do you know John Landy lives across the street from us?"

Ken and I exchange glances, "The John Landy who raced Roger Bannister in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver?"

"THE John Landy who was competing to break the sub 4-minute mile? THE John Landy who has a bronze statue in Vancouver in front of the PNE exhibition grounds?" We had to pick up our dropped jaws!

Connnie, our hostess assured us he was THE man. "I will walk over and invite him for tea - if you are not too tired after your long flight." With news like this... who can be tired?

In a few minutes the doorbell rings and in walks THE John Landy - 82 years old and looking as though he could challenge Ken with a mile anyday. Ken shared his story and they exchanged running stories. Then we asked if he would autograph our travel journal, the very First entry - First page !

Later we watched the "miracle mile" on Youtube, there is the CBC 1954 broadcast with the legendary race between the Australian John Landy and the British Roger Bannister. For an inspirational moment, check youtube "Bannister Landy Miracle Mile 1954."

On 6th May 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile at Iffley Road, Oxford. He held his world record for just six weeks before his great rival, John Landy of Australia, broke it by more than a second with a time 3:58. The stage was ready for a showdown between the two runners in the final of the One Mile at the Empire Games in Vancouver on 7th August 1954.

This race is still known as the "Miracle Mile". A statue stands in Vancouver to commemorate its moment of highest drama, when John Landy looked back over his left shoulder just as Roger Bannister passed him on his right.

What a stellar welcome to Australia ...we both had an over-whelming feeling of being at the right place - at the right time.

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Photos

Meeting John Landy
Meeting John Landy on arrival in Melbourne