Ollie Hoare has become the fastest Australian to run the mile, smashing the record by nearly a second at the Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway.
Hoare ran a 3.47:48, slashing 0.89secs off the mark set by Stewart McSweyn in the same venue. The time is the 13th quickest in history.
Hoare finished second in the race, only behind Norway’s own Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebritsen.
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Ingebritsen and Hoare ran in the footprints of two pace makers – the only two in the race to do so – until they pulled out at the 800m and 1000m marks respectively.
Hoare was unable to go with Ingebritsen on the last lap, finishing about 10 metres behind.
There was daylight back to third placed runner, Brit Jake Wightman .
After the race, Hoare said he’d run “a special race”.
“The Oslo Diamond League for Australians has seen a lot of records set there, it’s just a special place and tradition,” he said.
“For me to go out there to represent and continue that is an absolute privilege.”
Hoare will be one of the favourites to win the event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which will get underway next month.
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