Historic Milestone in Middle-Distance Running

New Zealand's Sam Ruthe has rewritten athletics history by becoming the youngest athlete ever to run a sub-four-minute mile at just 15 years old. The middle-distance prodigy clocked an astonishing 3:58.35 in challenging wet conditions at Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium.

The Record-Breaking Race

• Ruthe outperformed his pacemakers, including Olympian Sam Tanner (3:58.29) and Ben Wall (3:59.00)
• Achieved this historic feat in his first competitive mile race
• Ran negative splits with final quarter-mile in under 60 seconds

Ruthe's Meteoric Rise

2025 Career Highlights:

• Became New Zealand's youngest senior national champion in 3000m (world age-group record)
• Shared victory with Tanner in senior 1500m nationals (March 2025)
• Now holds multiple national age-group records across distances

"This was probably my favorite goal that I've reached," said an elated Ruthe post-race. "The crowd support made this extra special - we've been building toward this moment."

Historical Context

• Roger Bannister (25) first broke the barrier in 1954 (3:59.4)
• Previous youngest record holder: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (16, 3:58.07 in 2017)
• Current U16 world best: Cam Myers' 3:55.44 (2024)

Training Insights

Ruthe's coach revealed:

• Specialized high-altitude training program
• Emphasis on aerobic base development
• Revolutionary biomechanics analysis for efficiency

Future Prospects

With the 2028 Olympics approaching, athletics experts predict:

• Potential to challenge Hicham El Guerrouj's world record (3:43.13)
• Likely focus event: 1500m (better suits his stride mechanics)
• Next target: World U20 Championships qualification

This performance marks a new era in youth athletics development, showing remarkable physiological adaptation in pre-adult athletes.