New Zealand’s middle-distance prodigy Sam Ruthe has become the youngest person in history to break the four-minute-mile barrier. Video / Athletics NZ
The father of New Zealand’s middle-distance prodigy Sam Ruthe says it’s a fine balance for the teenager to live a normal Kiwi life while chasing world records.
“It is very hard to understand. I’ve been around athletes for a while and that’s good, as it gives me an understanding of what is possible and what people have done historically, and all those measurements and yardsticks that I’ve ever thought were the limits are a bit shattered really in my head.
“To see what he’s done time and time again. That’s his 11th and 12th New Zealand records, age group this season, and his sixth world best.
“It’s hard to get your head around that,” his father said.
Ruthe said it was a balance for his son to find and prepare for high-level competition while also living the life of a high schooler.
“How do you give people the opportunity and the exposure to do challenges and take on things?
“Within New Zealand, there’s Sam Tanner really and then there’s Sam. So to get bigger and more opposition, you have to race overseas.
“He’s not even halfway through high school, so how do you do that while he’s at high school, while he’s got mates and you want him to live an ordinary Kiwi life?
“It’s an untrodden path we’re making up along the way. It’s great that I can be there to help him with my wife Jess and daughter Daisey and be surrounded by a bunch of mates and keep it really simple.”
Ruthe said his son’s composure and attitude have lifted him to a level not seen at such a young age.
“That’s a massive part of it. If you don’t have that, you don’t achieve. But you also need other pieces. You need a great coach, a great group of mates, good meals cooked and a good bed to sleep in.
“He’s just got a great work ethic and you need a lot of things to fall into place - but certainly you need an attitude and I’m really impressed by the way he handles himself and how he does these things.”
Ruthe will race in Melbourne next Saturday at the Maurie Plant Meet, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, lining up against professional runners.
“Sam would say it’s nice to have done this but he has a bigger race in nine days,” Ben Ruthe said.
“When I say bigger, he’s racing formidable adult professional fulltime men who don’t go to school Monday to Friday, who live and breathe [running], they train at altitude and do 150km weeks during winter, while Sam’s never done more than 60km a week.
“I don’t know if there is much of a celebration, more of an enjoyment and a relief and a ‘great, I’ve ticked that one off but actually there are bigger and more things I’ve got to do’.”
Good meal and early to bed
The new world record holder said he would celebrate with a good meal and then go to bed early.
“This was probably my favourite goal I’ve reached. Definitely enjoyed this one the most, with all the people here supporting me. It was absolutely magical to cross with my training partner Sam, one of the nicest feelings ever,” Ruthe said.
“About an hour before, I was getting a bit scared, as it was hammering down. The rain seemed to clear perfectly in time for our race.”
Sam Ruthe (right) crosses the finish line next to Sam Tanner to become the youngest person ever to break the magic four-minute mile barrier. Photo / Photosport
The teen has running in his genes.
Father Ben is a former national record holder over 800 and 1000m, while mum Jess held national cross-country titles.
Sam’s grandma Rosemary was a champion 400m relay sprinter and 800m Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
Ruthe has been making headlines all summer. He has run some of the fastest 3000m times by a 15-year-old, with a best of 7m 56.18s in Hastings. Only three Africans of a similar age have recorded faster times.
Ruthe’s trajectory places him among the sport’s most elite teenage milers.
Two-time Olympic champion and current three-time world record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, ran 3m 58.07s at 16. Australia’s Cam Myers holds the record for a 16-year-old at 3m 55.44s, set in 2023.
New Zealand has a storied history in the mile. Sir John Walker became the first man to break 3m 50s for the mile in 1975, before claiming Olympic gold over 1500m the following year.
Before Walker, Kiwi greats such as Sir Peter Snell and Jack Lovelock set world records and redefined middle-distance running.
The four-minute mile has been a middle-distance running benchmark since Britain’s Sir Roger Bannister first ran under the mark in 1954.
