Media Room
Press ReleasesApril 6, 2004
Jerome Meet to Celebrate Golden Anniversary of Miracle Mile
The Miracle Mile will be relived and revived this summer, 50 years after Roger Bannister and John Landy made it one of the greatest races in track and field history and a memorable moment in Canadian sport.
Organizers of the 21st annual Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic announced Tuesday the July 1 meet, to be held at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1954 Miracle Mile held in Vancouver as part of the British Empire Games. That race brought together British runner Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, and Australia's John Landy, who bettered Bannister's mark to come into the Games as the mile world record holder.
In a race that featured the best of spirit and drama in sport, pacesetter Landy glanced over his left shoulder in the final turn of the race even as Bannister surged past on the right side to take the gold medal. Both runners finished the race in under four minutes while Canada's Rich Ferguson took the bronze medal in what was a historic event for athletics and for Canada.
"There is not one person over the age of 50 in Vancouver who does not remember where he or she was in August, 1954 when the Miracle Mile was held at Empire Stadium," remarked Dr. Doug Clement, chair of the meet organizing Achilles International Track and Field Society. "That event is part of Canada's sporting history. The Miracle Mile: Gold Edition on July 1, Canada Day, will give everyone the opportunity to relive that moment again."
The Miracle Mile: Gold Edition will be the feature event at the July 1 Jerome meet, with runners representing Commonwealth countries gathering for a 2004 mile race commemorating the golden anniversary of the historic mile that was the highlight of the 1954 British Empire Games.
"The best runners from Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Canada will race against the clock in an attempt to match the results of 50 years ago," explained Clement. "How many of us have seen the Four Minute Barrier broken?"
In celebrating the historical significance of the Miracle Mile while also recognizing the physical feat of running the distance in under four minutes, organizers of this year's Jerome meet will welcome as special guests three of the greatest milers to ever take to the track.. New Zealand runners Peter Snell and John Walker, and American record holder Steve Scott, will be celebrated at the July 1 meet as Legends of the Mile. All three have confirmed their attendance and will be at Swangard Stadium to meet track and field fans and cheer on the runners contesting the Miracle Mile: Gold Edition.
"The Legends of the Mile, as a group, have broken the four-minute barrier many times in their own careers as Olympic medallists and world record holders," said Clement. "It is the first time they have come together to provide inspiration to the young runners of today as they continue their quest to crack the barrier."
Snell is a triple Olympic gold medallist and former mile world record holder. Walker, gold medallist in the 1,500 metres at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, became the first runner to run 100 sub-four-minute miles.
America's Scott, a silver medallist at the 1983 world track and field championships, is renowed as the Master of the Mile after running the sub-four-minute-mile on 136 occasions.
In this Olympic year the 2004 Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic is also serving as an opportunity for athletes to attain qualifying standards in a variety of events for the August Summer Games in Athens. In addition, the meet is featuring an unprecedented $50,000 US in prize money.
Local runners will also have a chance to experience the Miracle Mile in a special Corporate Relay, featuring teams of runners attempting to beat the sub-four-minute-mile barrier.
If you have any questions contact: media@harryjerome.com
