Jim Ryun Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Yesterday Jim Ryun was awarded the long deserved Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the track. He was the first high school runner to break four minutes in the mile in 1964. He also served 10 years in the US Congress representing his home state of Kansas.
In 1964, as a high school junior at Wichita East High School, Ryun became the first high school athlete to run a mile in under 4 minutes in the time of 3:59.0, when he took 8th place at the 1964 California Relays, the last under four minutes in a historic mass finish under 4:00. His time of 3:55.3, set winning the 1965 AAU Championship race ahead of Olympic gold medalist and former WR holder Peter Snell, was a high school record that stood for 36 years. Ryun ran five sub-four minute miles while in high school including the only sub-four minute mile run in a high school event, a 3:58.3, at the 1965 Kansas HS state meet. Wikipedia
He was on three Olympic teams 1964, 1968, and 1972. His top achievement in the Games was a silver medal in the 1500 meters in 1968. Also accompanying Ryun during the presentation were Matt Centrowitz Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meters and Alan Webb the current high school mile record holder.
I recall seeing Ryun run for the first time on the track at Lawrence, Kansas at the Kansas Relays about 1963. He was a sophomore at Wichita East HS. It was a very blustery day. Even before the race several people mentioned to watch this young kid. He won easily in 4:20, and it was clear then that there was more than just a little talent in that skinny, semi-awkward runner with the arm carriage swinging side to side.
Thanks to Mike Solomon, former Kansas Jayhawk for bringing this to our attention.
In 1964, as a high school junior at Wichita East High School, Ryun became the first high school athlete to run a mile in under 4 minutes in the time of 3:59.0, when he took 8th place at the 1964 California Relays, the last under four minutes in a historic mass finish under 4:00. His time of 3:55.3, set winning the 1965 AAU Championship race ahead of Olympic gold medalist and former WR holder Peter Snell, was a high school record that stood for 36 years. Ryun ran five sub-four minute miles while in high school including the only sub-four minute mile run in a high school event, a 3:58.3, at the 1965 Kansas HS state meet. Wikipedia
He was on three Olympic teams 1964, 1968, and 1972. His top achievement in the Games was a silver medal in the 1500 meters in 1968. Also accompanying Ryun during the presentation were Matt Centrowitz Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meters and Alan Webb the current high school mile record holder.
I recall seeing Ryun run for the first time on the track at Lawrence, Kansas at the Kansas Relays about 1963. He was a sophomore at Wichita East HS. It was a very blustery day. Even before the race several people mentioned to watch this young kid. He won easily in 4:20, and it was clear then that there was more than just a little talent in that skinny, semi-awkward runner with the arm carriage swinging side to side.
Thanks to Mike Solomon, former Kansas Jayhawk for bringing this to our attention.
Hi George,
My wife and I met Jim and his wife and babies in a stroller, when we were both living in Santa Barbara while walking down State Street. Jim also opened his running camp there the same year (1975). Jump ahead 41 years and an episode of deja vu as we met Alan Webb and his wife and baby in a stroller outside of church in Eugene, OR as we were attending the OT in 2016. I thought that was a great case of symmetry meeting the former and current HS mile record holders.
It is great that Jim won the Presidental Medal of Freedom.
BTW, my friend and I saw Jim run a 3:52 mile in Toronto in 1972. That mile ironically put Jim in the same heat as Keino in the Munich Olympics where he fell. The sad part was that did not convert that mile time to a 1500m time or Jim would have been in another heat.
Don Betowski
Don, I sort of recall that Ryun got tangled up with a lesser runner in the pack and went down. Keino was up near or in the front and didn't even know it had happened. George
Don, I sort of recall that Ryun got tangled up with a lesser runner in the pack and went down. Keino was up near or in the front and didn't even know it had happened. George
2 comments:
George---I was fortunate to be in the same year group as Ryun in college. I saw him run many races in person from June 1966 until the end of our senior year in June 1969. My first time to see him run in person was at the Natl USTFF meet in June 1966 at Indiana State Univ in Terra Haute, IN. He ran the 880 yd run in 1:44.9 a world record. He finished almost 40 yds ahead of the 2nd place. It was always a moment to stop and see him run whatever race he was in at the time. He was very good quarter miler and several times he anchored Kansas mile relay team and at many relay meets he ran a quarter on the distance medally relay.
In talking with his teammates at Kansa whom I knew they all had good things to say about him. By June of 1966 when I first saw him, he was just becoming famous because he had been on the 1964 Olympic team and had already run a great mile before he became a freshman at Kansas.
George ---I forgot to identify myself on the comments I posted previously about Jim Ryun. He and I were the same age and in college at the same time. One note I saw USC in the 1967 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championship track meet at BYU in June 1967 set the 440 yd relay world record of 39.7. One person on the USC relay team was OJ Simpson. It was 4 years of seeing some great track nd field performances and many college and world records.
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