John Walker (runner)

Sir John Walker

Personal information
Birth name	John George Walker
Nationality	New Zealand
Born	(1952-01-12) 12 January 1952 (age 65) Papakura, Auckland
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
Coached by	Arch Jelley
Medal record Representing  New Zealand Men's athletics Olympic Games 1976 Montreal 1500 metres Commonwealth Games 1974 Christchurch 1500 metres 1982 Brisbane 1500 metres 1974 Christchurch 800 metres

Sir John George Walker, KNZM, CBE (born 12 January 1952) is a former middle distance runner from New Zealand.

Walker was the first person to run the mile in under 3:50. He won the Olympic Games 1500m in Montreal in 1976.

Walker achieved world prominence in 1974 when he ran second to Filbert Bayi in the 1500 meter run at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. In one of the greatest 1500 m races held to that time, Walker and Bayi both broke the existing world record, and others in the race recorded the fourth, fifth, and seventh fastest performances ever. Additionally, Walker won the bronze medal in the 800 metres in 1:44.92, his lifetime best for the distance, and still the second-fastest New Zealander ever, behind Peter Snell.

Throughout his career as a world-class miler Walker was coached by Arch Jelley, a school principal, and a middle distance runner himself, whose work with runners has been typified by meticulous training programmes on a scientific basis and effective communications in person.

Walker broke the World Record in the mile run with a time of 3:49.4 minutes set at Göteborg, Sweden, on 12 August 1975, bettering the previous time of 3:51.0 set earlier that year by Filbert Bayi. It was the first time that the Three minutes and 50 seconds time had been broken, and it was a full 10 seconds faster than Roger Bannister's historic sub-Four-Minute Mile of 3:59.4 that was run twenty-one years previous. He was named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News the same year.

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