Cameron Myers stuns athletics world in 'crazy' four-minute mile time

Cameron Myers is the talk of the athletics world after the 16-year-old Aussie became the second-youngest person ever to break the four-minute mile mark on Thursday night. Aged 16 years and 259 days, Myers clocked an extraordinary time of three minutes, 55.44 seconds at the Maurie Plant Classic at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne.

Myers finished third in the 1500m race behind Commonwealth Games champion Ollie Hoare. However Myers was the talk of the athletics world afterwards, becoming the second-youngest runner behind only the great Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen to go under four minutes.

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However Myers' time was actually faster than that of Ingebridtsen, breaking the world record for 16 year olds. Ingebrigtsen was nine days younger than Myers when he first broke the four-minute barrier, clocking 3:58.07 in May 2017.

Myers shaved a massive 12 seconds off his personal best time and upstaged US sprint superstar Fred Kerley in the process. "He did it nine days earlier than I did it today," said Myers, who is doing Year 11 at Ginninderra College in Canberra.

"Obviously it would have been cool to do it in early February but it didn't fit in with my timetable. It's a really big confidence booster but I've got to stay humble and keep working hard."

Hoare crossed the line in first place with a time of 3:52.34, while New Zealander Sam Tanner was second in 3:53.83. "At 3:55 (Myers) is probably running at 16 years of age better than most people in college in the US," Hoare said of his compatriot.

"It's amazing talent for Australia moving forward and I'm excited for him. That's why we have these meets, why we have the hype, why we have people come back, to give our youth an opportunity to run fast and compete well with some of the best. He was able to get that opportunity and he seized it."

Fred Kerley shows off at Maurie Plant Classic

Reigning 100m world champion and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Kerley was the biggest star on display at Lakeside Stadium on Thursday night, and the American duly delivered with a dominant win in the men's 200m.

Kerley raised his right hand in triumph 20 metres from the line and coasted to victory in 20.32 seconds. "That would have been easy to to have broken 20 but the W (win) is all that matters," said Kerley. "The crowd loved it, so it's all good."

Aussie star Rohan Browning finished second in 20.71, and then backed up 90 minutes later to win the 100m in 10.26. Browning famously shocked the world at the Tokyo Olympics when he made the 100m semi-finals after beating Jamaica's Yohan Blake in his heat.

Jessica Hull held off the challenge of her world cross country relay bronze medal teammate Abbey Caldwell to win the 1500m in 4:07.11. Naa Anang won the women's 100m in 11.20, and fellow Australian Ella Connolly saluted in the 200m in 23.28.

And Kenya's Under-20 world cross country champion Ishmail Kipkurui upstaged Australian Stewart McSweyn in the 3000m. Kipkurui surged away in the final lap to win in 7:41.38. with McSweyn second in 7:44.36.

with AAP

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