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3:47.52. So the straight mile, gimmick or not, is 'takingoff.

"There was a drop off of about 220 feet from the startto the finish, but the drop was very steep at the begin­ning," Flynn said "We went through the first quarterin about 48 seconds, but the junior runners in the racewent through even faster. The experienced runners inthe race, Steve, John Walker and myself, didn't want togo too fast on that hill."

Flynn said the veteran runners were leaning back ­ward to keep from pitching forward on their faces ontothe asphalt.

"There is no strategy in a race like that," Flynn said."There was no holding back. Scott was in the lead afterthe first quarter but W;lker took over at the half mile.We didn't think we could stay with him but he tied up alittle bit in the last quarter.

"Steve was about 15 yards back in fourth place but he Imade an almighty sprint in the last 250 yards to win."

Australia's Michael Hillardt was second in 3:32.25.The splits, supplied by Flynn, were mind boggling: 48

seconds for the first quarter; 1:43 for the half mile (theworld record is 1:41.73); 2:35 for three quarters of a mile,and 3:18 for 1,500 meters (the world record is 3:31.36).

"Track and fie1d needs some sort of sensationalism tobring the crowds back," said Flynn.

Part III/Monday, April 12, 1982*

Straight, but Not Really TrueIt Was Only the Latest in an Off-Beat Series of Track Promotions-Then Steve Scott Ran a 3:31.25 Downhill Mile in New Zealand

By MAL FLORENCE, Times Staff Writer

The next edition of the Guinness Book of World Rec­ords will include a statistic that should delight triviabuffs: What is the fastest mile ever run?

Excluding gazelles and cheetahs, it will be the 3:31.25time recorded by Steve Scott on April 3 in Auckland,New Zealand.

But Scott's time in the Queen Street Mile can't be ac­cepted as an'official world record because the race wason a straight, downhill course, not a regulation track.

Still, Scott's time was 16.08 seconds faster than Se­bastian Coe's world record of 3:47.33 and one wondersjust how fast a man can run regardless of the conditions?

Ray Flynn of Ireland, who was third in the race witha time of 3:32.75, called it one of the most exciting-exper­iences in his life.

"There were 40,000 people lining the street," saidFlynn, "and it was very exciting. It was a great feelingtearing down the straight ... I realize there will be alot of skepticism about the time, but a race is a race. Itstill is going to be counted as the fastest time betweentwo points." .

Flynn said that a bakery, which promoted the' QueenStreet Mile, was so pleased with the response that itplans a similar race next year. Same for a Sydney, Aus­tralia, promoter. The Fifth Street Mile was held in NewYork last September with Sydney Maree wtpning in

-Z :_ ~ ...........•...•

Steve Scott's time in the New Zealand mi!ewas 16.08 seconds faster than SebastianCoe's record-but it doesn't count.

".

cSN

SV

S

Jim Ryun in his college days at Kansas.

No World Record

Scott Runs a Milein 3:31.25 Downhill

AUCKLAND, New Zealand <A»-Steve Scott, takingadvantage of a straight, downhill course, ran the. fastestmile in track history Saturday, Winning the inauguralQueen Street Mile in 3 minutes 31.25 seconds.

The time was 16.08 seconds faster than the world rec­ord of 3:47.33 held by England's Sebastian Coe.

Scott's time will not count as a world record, howev­er. The race was straight, not on a closed track, and thecourse, down the main street of New Zealand's largestcity, gave runners an advantage because it droppedmore than 200 feet in altitude in the first 400 yards., Scott's best mile was a 3:49.68 in 1981. In last year's

Fifth Avenue Mile, a straight race in New York, Scottwas timed in 3:53.84, finishing seventh ehind WinnerSydney Maree's 3:47.52.

Australia's Michael Hillardt was seco d, Ray Flynn ofIreland third and former world miJer ord-holder JohnWalker of New Zealnd fourth.

The women's race also produce fast time as localgirl Christine Hughes won in 4:0 .. The world record is4:20.89, held by Lyudmila eselkova of the SovietUnion.

-j

Year193119331934193719421942194219431944

194519541954195719581962196419651966

19671975197519791980198119811981

CountryFrance.New ZealandU.S.BritainSwedenSwedenSwedenSwedenSweden

SwedenBritainAustraliaBritain .AustraliaNew ZealandNew ZealandFranceU.S.

U.S.TanzaniaNew ZealandBritainBritain.BritainBritainBritain

TIME YEAR

3:47.33 19813:48.40' 19813:48.53 19813:48.8 19803:48.95 19793:49.25 19813:49.4 19753:49.45 198'-3A9.57 19793:49.66 19813:49.67 19813:49.68 19813:49.74 19813:49.95 19813:50.12 19813:50.26 19813:50.34 19813:50.38 19813:50.56 19793:50.58/ 1981 ,3:50.6 19813:50.87 19813:50.91 19813:50.95 19813:51.0 19753:51.1 19673:51.11. 19793:51.3 . 19663:51.48 1981'3:51.48 19813:51.6 19803:51.77 1981i3:51.8 19813:51.94l9813:51.98 1981,3:52.0 19733:520 19773:52.02 19793:52.11 19813:52.2 1975

from Ladoumegue to CoeNameJules LadoumegueJack LovelockGlenn CunninghamSydney WoodersonGunder HaggArne AnderssonGunder HaggArne AnderssonArne Andersson

Gunder HaggRoger BanninsterJohn Landy .Derek IbbotsonHerb ElliottPeter SnellPeter SnellMichel JazyJim Ryun

Jim RyunFilbert BayiJohn WalkerSebastian CoeSteve OvettSebastian CoeSteve OvettSebastian Coe

III

NAME COUNTRY

Sebastian Coe BritainSteve Ovett BritainSebastian Coe Britain

. Steve Ovett BritainSebastian Coe'" BritainSteve Ovett BritainJohn Walker New ZealandMike Boit Kenya

Steve Ovett BritainSteve Ovett BritainJose-Luis Gonzalez SpainSteve Scott United StatesMike Boit KenyaSteve Cram BritainJohn Walker New ZealandJohn Walker New Zealand

Todd HarboiJr United StatesSteve Cram BritainThomas Wessinghage West GermanyJohn Walker New ZealandEamonnCoghlan IrelandJose-Luis Gonzalez SpainThomas Wessinghage West GermanyThomas Wessinghage West Germany

Filbert Bayi TanzaniaJim Ryun United StatesSteve Scott United StatesJim Ryun United StatesSteve Scott United StatesSydney Maree United StatesSteve Ovett BritainPierre Deleze Switzerland

Steve Scott United StatesSuleiman Nyambui TanzaniaJohn Walker New ZealandBen Jipcho KenyaJohn Walker New ZealandCraig Masback United StatesEamonnCoghlan IrelandMarty Liquori United States

i-indoor mark

The Mile Re~ords From 1931 to 1981

Time4:09.24:07.64:06.74:06.44:06.24:06.24:04.6

'4:02.64:01.6

4:01.3·3:59.43:57.93:57.23:54.53:54.43:54.13:53.63:51.3

3:51.13:51.03:49.4'3:49.0

I 3:48.83:48.533:48.403:47.33