One State, Three Mile Legends: Cunningham, Santee, Ryun
Record setting, Olympic trio hail from Kansas, the Sunflower State
By Bring Back the Mile
Kansas is known for its expansive wheat fields, but it has also amazingly grown three of the greatest Milers in history: Glenn Cunningham, Wes Santee and Jim Ryun. Consider below the impressive collective achievements for the Kansas trio:
► U.S. Mile indoor records = 6 (Cunningham = 3, Santee = 2 and Ryun = 1)
► U.S. Mile outdoor records = 11 (Cunningham = 3, Santee = 4 and Ryun = 4)
► World Mile indoor records = 6 (Cunningham = 3, Santee = 2 and Ryun = 1)
► World Mile outdoor records = 3 (Cunningham = 1 and Ryun = 2)
NOTE: Cunningham & Ryun are also two of only four men to hold the indoor & outdoor Mile world record; also legends Paavo Nurmi (FIN) and Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR).
► U.S. 1500m records = 8 (Cunningham = 4, Santee = 2 and Ryun = 2)
► World 1500m records = 2 (Santee = 1 and Ryun = 1)
► Olympics = 6 (Cunningham = 1932 Los Angeles / 1936 Berlin, Santee = 1952 Helsinki and Ryun = 1964 Tokyo / 1968 Mexico City / 1972 Munich)
► Olympic medals = 2 silver 1500m (Cunningham, 1936 and Ryun, 1968)
All three also won NCAA Mile titles while competing for the University of Kansas, and no other U.S. state, large or small in size or population, has produced such a trio of Mile talent.
Find more information at their respective bios: Glenn Cunningham HERE, Wes Santee HERE and Jim Ryun HERE and also Kansas State Mile Guide HERE
On Sunday, November 8, 2015 in Wichita, the second Kansas Road Mile will be contested and Jim Ryun returns to his hometown to be the honorary starter and awards presenter.
