Posted: February 24, 2005

Athletics: Paul Hamblyn becomes New Zealand's 29th sub four miler

Paul Hamblyn of North Harbour became the 29th New Zealander to break four minutes for the mile, with a time of 3m 58.41s at Ericsson Athletic Stadium, on Wednesday evening.

Competing at the annual John Walker night of miles Hamblyn went neck and neck over the final 100m with Australian Mark Tucker who just pipped him on the finishing line in 3m 58.37s.

Raced in ideal conditions and with perfect pacing, Hamblyn was set to crack the barrier after passing the three quarters in three minutes. "I felt good with a lap to go and I am much stronger than last season, so I knew that a sub four time was on," said an elated Hamblyn.

It was the first race of the season for the 24 year old Hamblyn. "My last two work outs were good, it has been a long time coming, but I knew it was there. I will be leaving in June for another European campaign," he said.

Before then Hamblyn has an important outing at the national track and field championships in Wanganui next month, where he will go for his third national 1500m title in a row.

Former world mile record holder and 1976 Olympic Games 1500m gold medallist John Walker was on hand to watch and said that he is sure that Hamblyn will run much faster.

"It was a competitive even race and Paul still has a lot there for a faster time," said Walker.

"A sub four minute mile means a lot to most people," added Walker. Hamblyn becomes New Zealand's 15th fastest miler on a list headed by Walker with 3m 49.08s.

The John Walker junior mile went to last year's winner and winner of the John L. Davies memorial trophy in Hamilton last Saturday, Shafat Salad of Waikato in 4m 11.50s. Salad finished with a 59.47s last lap to beat Terefe Ejigu of Wellington, who recorded 4m 12.30s.

Results:
1 Mark Tucker (Australia) 3m 58.37s
2 Paul Hamblyn (Bays Cougars) 3m 58.41s
3 Collis Birmingham (Australia) 4m 02.46s
4 Stu Kerr (Bays Cougars) 4m 02.84s
5 Ben Ruthe (Bays Cougars) 4m 06.45s
6 Rees Buck (Scottish) 4m 08.44s

Junior Mile
1 Shafat Salad (Waikato) 4m 11.50s
2 Terefe Ejigu (Wellington) 4m 12.30s
3 Lewis Jenkin (Athletics North) 4m 13.54s
4 Matthew Mildenhall (Auckland) 4m 14.13s
5 Leyden Tolhurst (Auckland) 4m 15.12s
6 Tim Hodge (Wellington) 4m 16.32s

Spurce:Murray McKinnon
Communications Advisor
Athletics New Zealand
[Thanks to Ian Kemp for this story]