One Mile Celebrations
Celebrate An Historic Sporting Moment
Whanganui was made world famous on the night of January 27 1962 when Peter Snell not only broke the four minute barrier for the mile in New Zealand but set a new world record of 3m 54.4s. Since that date the four minute mark has been broken 63 times at Cooks Gardens by 41 athletes from around the world.
The Track Meeting will feature the “ One Mile Championships”, mile events for the elite men, women, junior women and the junior men’s and wheelchair athletes. The first “One Mile Championship” at Cooks Gardens was indeed the first ever mile run at Cooks Gardens in 1898 and it was the New Zealand Athletic Association’s National Championships. The event was won by Canterbury’s Sam Pentecost in a me of 4 minutes 38.0s. Cooks Gardens was made world famous on the night of the 27th January, 1962 when Peter Snell set the World Record for the mile of 3 minutes 54.4s (On grass) beating the previous record of 3m 54.5s set by Australian Herb Elliott in Dublin in 1958.
Cooks Gardens offers an iconic venue for runners & walkers of all ages and abilities to run a Mile at the same venue that Peter Snell set the world one mile record of 3m 54.4s on the 27 January 1962. All finishers will receive an official time and certificate. Entrants will compete in races based on age groups, and must compete in the section corresponding to their age and gender. Official results will be available at the conclusion of the event. Awards will be provided for the top three men and women overall. Additional spot awards for age and gender groups will also be drawn and presented. “Come run a mile at the iconic Cooks Gardens, Whanganui, New Zealand” Sir Peter Snell