World record-breaking Tauranga runner Sam Ruthe full of potential, says coach

Sam Ruthe (right, black singlet) became the youngest person in history to break the four-minute-mile barrier, in 3m 58.35s. Photo / Michael Dawson Athletics NZ

At 15, Tauranga’s Sam Ruthe is the youngest person in history to run a four-minute mile – but that doesn’t mean his coach is putting him on the fast track.

“It’s easy to get carried away and overload his training, but for me, keeping his training load appropriate for his age and time in the sport is most important,” Ruthe’s coach Craig Kirkwood said.

“He’s got a long time left in the sport, but he’s definitely on his way.”

Tauranga Boys’ College student Ruthe broke the world record on Wednesday night in Auckland with a time of 3 minutes 58.35 seconds.

Endurance coach Kirkwood said he started training Ruthe just over two years ago, when the student was in Year 9.

He had known him for longer, however, having raced with his parents “back in the day”.

“I’ve been watching Sam kind of growing up as a young fella going through primary school, intermediate, and watching him win races.

“When he was old enough, I let him join my junior squad, took over coaching him, and he’s just improved and improved.”

Craig Kirkwood, Sam Ruthe's coach, pictured in 2015. Photo / Ben Fraser

Kirkwood said Ruthe had a “genetic gift”.

Father Ben Ruthe is a former national record holder over 800m and 1000m, while mum Jess held national cross-country titles.

Ruthe’s grandma Rosemary was a champion 400m relay sprinter and 800m Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

“He’s got a really great temperament and doesn’t get overawed or overexcited, and he just takes on the pressure that he’s under,” Kirkwood said.

Ruthe was an easy athlete to coach and full of potential.

“He’s a really nice man, very humble and just another one of the boys in my training squad,” Kirkwood said.

Ruthe first broke the 15-year-old world best for 3000m in November, later lowering it again in Hastings, running 7m 56.18s.

At the New Zealand Track and Field Championships he tied with Olympian and training partner Sam Tanner for gold in the senior 1500m.

Tanner, 24, paced Ruthe in his world-record-breaking run, which also broke Tanner’s U19 and U20 national records.

Sam Ruthe is the youngest person ever to break the magic four-minute mile barrier. Photo / Photosport

Tauranga Athletics president, Malcolm Smith, said Ruthe had always been a stand-out.

He said Ruthe had been involved with the club for almost eight years and stood out for his dedication.

“The genetics helped out a bit,” Smith said.

“He never really trained up seriously until he was 13, and he pretty much won anything that he entered with not a lot of training.”

Ruthe’s record-breaking mile (1.60934km) at Go Media Stadium matched a feat only handful of Kiwi runners have ever achieved.

The sub-four-minute mile has been a middle-distance running benchmark since Britain’s Sir Roger Bannister first ran under the mark in 1954.

Kiwi Sir John Walker became the first man to break 3m 50s in 1975. Before Walker, greats such as Sir Peter Snell and Jack Lovelock set world records and redefined middle-distance running.

Andrew Turner, Tauranga Boys' College principal, described Ruthe as a remarkable young man.

“I’m an Old Boy and so whenever I see our boys succeed, it gives a real sense of pride and achievement, and what he’s done is amazing.”

Turner said anytime the school sees ordinary boys become extraordinary men it “really excites” them.

“He [Ruthe] epitomises our values, he’s incredibly humble, down-to-earth, his feet are on the ground and he works incredibly hard inside and outside the classroom.

Tauranga Boys' College principal Andrew Turner. Photo / Mead Norton

“I don’t think you can do what he’s done without having that well-roundedness.”

He said Tauranga Boys' College supported Ruthe 100% in his aspirations and dreams.

“He’s a remarkable young man and full credit to him, to the family and the team of people around him.”

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.