John Walker runner

Sir John Walker is a renowned New Zealand middle-distance runner born in 1952. His achievements include winning the gold medal in the 1500m at the 1976 Olympics and being the first athlete to run a mile under 3:50 minutes. Post-retirement, he transitioned into local government, serving as a councillor until 2019. In his early career, Walker secured second place in the 1500m at the 1974 Commonwealth Games, setting a new world record alongside Filbert Bayi. He also earned a bronze medal in the 800m with a personal best time. Coached by Arch Jelley, known for scientific training methods, Walker's success continued as he broke the mile world record in 1975 with a time of 3:49.4, earning him Athlete of the Year and an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) honor. Walker set additional records, including the 2000m in 1976, which stood until Steve Cram broke it in 1985. His 1976 Olympic victory came after a slow start but demonstrated his endurance. He was also the first to achieve 100 sub-4 minute miles in 1985, though this was somewhat controversial with rival Steve Scott. Transitioning to longer distances later in his career, Walker faced limited success and injuries. Despite aiming to be the first over-40 to run a sub-4 mile, he was thwarted by injury, though his career spanned nearly two decades with 135 sub-four-minute miles. He received numerous honors, including induction into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, promotion to Commander of the British Empire, and a knighthood in ...