Teenage Tauranga runner Sam Ruthe sets world-leading time for 3000m

Sam Ruthe (Black Singlet) & Caleb Wagener (White Singlet). Ruthe, from Tauranga, set a new 3000m world record for a 15-year-old at a meeting in Auckland after clocking a time of 8:09.68. Photo / Rob Rickerby / ACA Athletics

By RNZ

Young Tauranga runner Sam Ruthe has eclipsed the world-best time for a 15-year-old over 3000m.

Ruthe broke the record at a meeting in Auckland after clocking a time of 8m09.68s, which also surpassed the New Zealand Under-17 and Under-18 records.

He beat the previous best time for a 15-year-old, set by Japan’s Yota Mashiko in 1995, by 1.44s.

Ruthe is coached by Craig Kirkwood, who also mentors two-time Olympian Sam Tanner and two-time Olympic triathlon medallist Hayden Wilde.

His father Ben is a former national middle-distance champion, while his mother Jessica was a multiple national champion in distances from 1500m to 10,000m.

Even his maternal grandparents, Olympians Trevor and Rosemary Wright, brought elite talent to the family.

Rosemary, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, held the Scottish 800m record (2m00.15s) for 30 years.

“He’s a beast,” Kirkwood said.

“I knew he’d be quick ... when we heard that the race was set up as an Under-17 record attempt, we thought we’d head up and see if we could get among it.

“We thought he’d be in the region of the [U17] record, but to get under 8.10 was impressive.”

- RNZ