The teen sensation shattering athletics records

Before the teenage New Zealand runner Sam Ruthe took to Boston University's indoor track in January, he told his father he was aiming to run a 3.48-minute mile (1.6km).

- By Eva Corlett WELLINGTON

The 16-year-old stunned the athletics world in 2025, when he became the youngest person to break the four-minute mile barrier - aged 15 - but his father, Ben Ruthe, raised his eyebrows over his son's aspirations for his next race, which if achieved could mean he will be considered for New Zealand Commonwealth Games selection.

"I thought, for him to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, he would have to run faster than anybody his age in the history of the world by five seconds," Ben said. "And then he did."

Sam had intended to fall in behind his training partner, the New Zealand Olympian Sam Tanner, at the John Thomas Terrier Classic - a prestigious annual indoor meet at Boston University in the US - on 31 January. But shortly into the race, Tanner injured his leg and pulled out. Ruthe appeared unfazed, overtaking the Belgian Olympian Pieter Sisk in the final lap to cross the finish line in first place, with a time of 3.48.88.

It was the fastest mile ever run by an athlete under 18, and was the 11th fastest time ever recorded for an indoor mile. Ruthe eclipsed the New Zealand mile record of 3.49.08, set by John Walker in 1982.