Miracle Mile

"Did you hear? Ron Delany ran the mile in 3:57.5."

"You don't say."

"Yes--he finished third."

--Conversation in a Dublin bar

Last week all Dublin was talking of the most incredible mile race ever run, and of the lanky, 20-year-old Australian who won it. There was no longer any doubt that Herb Elliott was the greatest miler of all time.

The night was cool and windless as the runners lined up in Dublin's new Santry Stadium. Besides Elliott and Ireland's Hero Delany, the field included New Zealand Schoolteacher Murray Halberg, two other Australians: Merv Lincoln and Albert Thomas, a stubby little (5 ft. 5 in.) clerk from Sydney.

Thomas got off in front, set a killing pace for the quarter (56 sec.) and the half (1:58). Then Lincoln and Elliott surged past him, battled for the lead through the third quarter. But as the bell clanged for the final lap, Elliott went into high gear. His muscular legs churning, he left the field behind with an astounding 55.5-sec. final quarter. As 20,000 fans shrieked approval, Elliott finished 12 yds. in front in an unbelievable 3:54.5, far under the 3:58 listed record of Australia's John Landy. Lincoln was second in 3:55.9, Delany third in 3:57.5, Halberg fourth in the same time. Even Thomas, finishing fifth, had a clocking of 3:58.6. Never before had five runners broken four minutes in the same race. Even rivals were awed by Elliott's achievement. Cracked Delany: "I don't know how you could beat the guy unless you tied his legs."

But the next day little Albert Thomas proved it could be-done--provided the distance was not the mile. In the two-mile run, Thomas let Elliott set the pace, then sped past him at the 1 1/2-mile mark to win going away in 8:32 for a new world's record. Only a month before, the unheralded Thomas had set another world's record over the brand-new Santry track when he ran three miles in 13:10.8. Said he happily: "Santry must be the fastest track in the world."

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