Steve Smythe considers the career of the great miler

Jim Ryun will ultimately never be given near equal status to the likes of fellow world record-breakers Herb Elliott, Peter Snell, Seb Coe, Noureddine Morceli and Hicham El Guerrouj as he never won an Olympic title.

That was largely due to the IOC’s ridiculous decision to hold the Olympics at a height of 2250m (over 7000 feet). Nowadays one would hope the authorities would at least hold the distance events at a different venue.

Ryun still ran 3:37.8 in Mexico but was well beaten by the great Kip Keino, who otherwise Ryun comfortably had the upper hand on.

Kip Keino wins the 1968 Olympic 1500m ahead of Jim Ryun and Bodo Tummler. Photo by Mark Shearman

In record-breaking terms though Ryun is high up on the list of all-time greats, especially if you take into account how much time he took off previous records and how long his records lasted.

In terms of time he dominated his era.

When I started running competitively in 1969, he was the world record-holder at 1500m and the mile and my favourite book of my youth was Runners and Races: 1500m/Mile by Cordner Nelson and Roberto Quercetani, which is a detailed history of the event. It was published in 1973 and an all-time combined list of 1500m/mile shows on publication date Ryun had five of the top eight combined performances.

Probably the most remarkable fact about Ryun’s record-breaking was his age.

He was breaking world senior records while still a junior, though his very best year was at the age of 20.

A look at the world under-20 lists reveal he now stands 11th all-time in the mile with his then 3:51.3 world record but unlike the 10 above him, he dominated his event and had finishing speed which has probably not been matched since by anyone of any age.

The rate of which he improved in his teenage years is also incredible.

In one of my other favourite books of the time – Encyclopedia of Athletics by former AW editor Mel Watman (third edition published in 1973) – the entry for Ryun highlights how he ran a promising 4:26.4 mile just before his 16th birthday and then showed the following improvement. All from the 4:08.2 were world age bests.

Age 16 (1963)
May 3: 4:16.2
May 25: 4:08.2
June 8: 4:07.8

Age 17 (1964)
May 16: 4:06.4
May 23: 4:01.7
Jun 5: 3:59.0

Age 18 (1965)
May 15: 3:58.3
May 29: 3:58.1
Jun 4: 3:56.8
Jun 27: 3:55.3

Age 19 (1966)
Jun 4: 3:53.7
Jul 17: 3:51.3

Age 20 (1967)
June 23: 3:51.1

Jim Ryun’s PBs:
440 yds (relay leg): 47.0 (1966)
800m: 1:45.2 (1972)
880yds: 1:44.9 (1967)
1500m: 3:33.1 (1967)
Mile: 3:51.1 (1967)
2 mile: 8:25.1 (1966)
5000m: 13:38.2 (1972)

Best American miler of all-time?
Ryun is now down to 13th all-time at 1500m and 12th at the mile.

Matt Centrowitz has an Olympic title, Bernard Lagat has a world title, Sydney Maree set a world record, Steve Scott had the best set of times over the longest period and Lagat and Alan Webb hold the American records but if you take into account their impact on the world scene and their dominance over their era, then it is hard to look beyond Ryun as America’s best ever.

USA 1500m all-time
1 3:29.30 Bernard Lagat Rieti 2005
2 3:29.77 Sydney Maree Cologne 1985
3 3:30.40 Matthew Centrowitz Monaco 2015
4 3:30.54 Alan Webb Saint-Denis 2007
5 3:30.90 Andrew Wheating Monaco 2010
6 3:30.98 Leo Manzano Monaco 2014
7 3:31.01 Jim Spivey Koblenz 1988
8 3:31.52 Steve Holman Brussels 1997
9 3:31.76 Steve Scott Nice 1985
10 3:31.93 David Krummenacker Stockholm 2002
11 3:32.20 Lopez Lomong Monaco 2010
12 3:32.97 Evan Jager Portland 2015
13 3:33.1 Jim Ryun Los Angeles 1967

USA mile all-time
1 3:46.91 Alan Webb Brasschaat 2007
2 3:47.69 Steve Scott Oslo 1982
3 3:48.38 Bernard Lagat Oslo 2005
4 3:48.83 Sydney Maree Rieti 1981
5 3:49.31 Joe Falcon Oslo 1990
6 3:49.80 Jim Spivey Oslo 1986
7 3:50.34 Todd Harbour Oslo 1981
8 3:50.40 Steve Holman Oslo 1997
9 3:50.53 Matthew Centrowitz Eugene 2014
10 3:50.64 Leo Manzano London 2010
11 3:50.84 Tom Byers Koblenz 1982
12 3:51.1 Jim Ryun Bakersfield 1967

1500m world record progression since 1960
3:35.6 Herb Elliott (AUS) Rome 1960
3:33.1 Jim Ryun (USA) Los Angeles 1967
3:32.2 Filbert Bayi (TAN) Christchurch 1974
3:32.1 Sebastian Coe (GBR) Zurich 1979
3:32.1 Steve Ovett (GBR) Oslo 1980
3:31.4 Steve Ovett (GBR) Koblenz 1980
3:31.24 Sydney Maree (USA) Cologne 1983
3:30.77 Steve Ovett (GBR) Rieti 1983
3:29.67 Steve Cram (GBR) Christchurch 1974
3:29.46 Said Aouita (MAR) Berlin 1985
3:28.86 Noureddine Morceli (ALG) Rieti 1992
3:27.37 Noureddine Morceli (ALG) Nice 1995
3:26.00 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Rome 1998

Mile world record progression since 1960
3:54.5 Herb Elliott (AUS) Dublin 1958
3:54.4 Peter Snell (NZL) Wanganui 1962
3:54.1 Peter Snell (NZL) Auckland 1964
3:53.6 Michel Jazy (FRA) Rennes 1965
3:51.3 Jim Ryun (USA) Berkeley 1966
3:51.1 Jim Ryun (USA) Bakersfield 1967
3:51.0 Filbert Bayi (TAN) Kingston 1975
3:49.4 John Walker (NZL) Stockholm 1975
3:49.0 Sebastian Coe (GBR) Oslo 1979
3:48.8 Steve Ovett (GBR) Oslo 1980
3:48.53 Sebastian Coe (GBR) Zurich 1981
3:48.40 Steve Ovett (GBR) Koblenz 1981
3:47.33 Sebastian Coe (GBR) Brussels 1981
3:46.32 Steve Cram (GBR) Oslo 1985
3:44.39 Noureddine Morceli (ALG) Rieti 1993
3:43.13 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Rome 1999

Click here to read more as Steve Smythe highlights 20 of his greatest or most significant races.

Lead photo by Mark Shearman

» For more on the latest athletics news, athletics events coverage and athletics updates, check out the AW homepage and our social media channels on TwitterFacebook and Instagram