When we were Kings: Ireland’s magic milers

Paul Robinson’s recent world best time of 4:17.9 for a mile run in sub-zero Antarctica recalled memories of a previous era when Ireland’s leading milers competed at elite level and helped to rewrite the record books.

Irish athletes, have a distinguished record in miling and have broken every barrier associated with the event, four of them hold the world 4x1-mile relay record since 1985, another has run 101 sub-4-minute miles, two have broken the sub-3:50 figure for the distance one of whom was the first 40-year-old to run the distance in less than 4 minutes.

At least 50 Irish athletes have made the journey in less than four minutes and Ronnie Delany and Eamonn Coghlan have established indoor world records for the distance.