John Landy
Lieutenant | Lady Marigold Southey | |||||||||||||||||
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Preceded by | Sir James Gobbo | |||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | David de Kretser | |||||||||||||||||
Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||
Born | John Michael Landy 12 April 1930 Victoria, Australia | |||||||||||||||||
Died | 24 February 2022 Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia | (aged 91)|||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Lynne Fisher | |||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Melbourne | |||||||||||||||||
Occupation | Athlete, governor | |||||||||||||||||
Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||
Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||
Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) | |||||||||||||||||
Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||
Event | 1500 m – 3 miles | |||||||||||||||||
Club | Geelong Guild Athletics Club, Belmont, Victoria | |||||||||||||||||
Sports achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||
Personal best(s) | 1500 m – 3:41.8 (1954) 3 miles – 13:27.4 (1956)[1][2] Mile – 3:57.9 (3:58 rounded up) (1954) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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John Michael Landy
Early life and education
Landy was born in
Athletics
During his school years, Landy enjoyed watching middle-distance track events. He became a serious runner during his university years, joining the
On 21 June 1954, at an international meet at
Landy ran his second sub-
At the 1956 Australian National Championships prior to the Melbourne Olympic Games, in the final of the mile race, Landy stopped and doubled back to check on fellow runner Ron Clarke after another runner clipped Clarke's heel, causing him to fall early in the third lap of the race. Landy, who was close behind, leaped to clear his body but scraped his spikes on Clarke's shoulder. Clarke, the then-junior mile world record holder, had been leading the race. Landy apologised, helped him back to his feet and they both started running again. In the final two laps Landy made up the deficit and won the race.[4] The National Centre for History and Education in Australia said that "[i]t was a spontaneous gesture of sportsmanship and it has never been forgotten."[11] Sculptor Mitch Mitchell created a bronze sculpture of the moment when Landy helps Clarke to his feet. The sculpture was dedicated in June 2002 and is on Olympic Boulevard, Olympic Park in Melbourne.[12]
Governor of Victoria
On 1 January 2001, Landy was sworn in as the 26th
Other accomplishments
Landy worked as senior manager at ICI Australia, and had a public speaking career. For eight years (1971–78), he served on the Victorian Land Conservation Council, contributing to debates and recommendations about the balanced use of public land across Victoria.[17] Landy authored two books on natural history: Close to Nature (1984) and A Coastal Diary (Pan Macmillan Australia, 1993).[18]
Landy was commissioner-general for the Australian pavilion at Expo 86 Vancouver. On 12 February 2009, he was appointed the chair of the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund Advisory Panel.[19] He stood down from the position on 7 September that same year.[20]
Death
Landy died on 24 February 2022 at his home in Castlemaine, Victoria, aged 91.[21][22] He had Parkinson's disease for a period of time.[23]
His life was commemorated in a
Honours and awards
In 1949 and 1950, Landy played Australian rules football for Dookie College[25] when he was at the University of Melbourne's Dookie College campus and won the 1950 Central Goulburn Valley Football League's best and fairest award.[26]
In
Over the years, Landy was awarded honorary degrees, the first being a
On 12 July 2008, Landy was the guest speaker at his club's centenary dinner held in
In media
In the 1988 television miniseries The Four Minute Mile, detailing the rivalry between Landy and Sir Roger Bannister, Landy was portrayed by actor Nique Needles and Bannister was portrayed by actor Richard Huw.[38]
See also
References
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "John Landy". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020.
- ^ "John Landy". trackfield.brinkster.net.
- ^ "John Landy". commonwealthgames.com.au. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "John Landy Obituary". The Times. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ University of Melbourne (2003). Honorary Degree – Mr John Landy Archived 13 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ IOC 1956 Summer Olympics. Olympic.org (6 September 2016). Retrieved on 20 September 2017.
- ^ Litsky, Frank; McDonald, William (25 February 2022). "John Landy Dies at 91; Dueled Roger Bannister in 'Mile of the Century'". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Radio broadcast of the Miracle Mile. The broadcast from an actual radio transcription disc of the time.
- ^ The rebirth of Empire Fields. Vancouversun.com (17 July 2015). Retrieved on 20 September 2017.
- ^ Kelly, Malcolm (23 December 2009). "How soon we forget our hallowed moments". web.archive.org: CBC Sports. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ The Finest Sporting Gesture in the History of Sport? . Hyperhistory.org. Retrieved on 20 September 2017.
- ^ "Sportsmanship". monumentaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Governors of Victoria". governor.vic.gov.au. 3 October 1839. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Former miler John Landy named as next Governor of Victoria state". worldathletics.org. Associated Press. 8 August 2000. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Lucas, Clay (20 January 2006). "Victoria's new governor named". The Age. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ a b "John Landy". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ Danielle Clode (2006) As if for a thousand years: A history of Victoria's Land Conservation and Environment Conservation Councils, Victorian Environmental Assessment Council
- ^ Mr John Landy, University of Melbourne.
- ^ TheAustralian.news.au, "Bereavement fund for bushfire victims".
- ^ "Landy steps down as bushfire appeal fund chief". ABC News. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "John Landy, responsible for Australia's 'finest sporting moment of the century', dies aged 91". ABC News. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Shefferd, Neil (25 February 2022). "Second man to break four-minute mile barrier Landy dies aged 91". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "John Landy, second man to break 4-minute mile, dies at 91". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "State Memorial Service for the Honourable John Landy AC CVO MBE | Victorian Government". 18 October 2023.
- ^ "1954 - Landy played with Dookie College". Benalla Ensign. 24 June 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "1950 - Central Goulburn FL - Best & Fairest Award". Shepparton Advertiser. 5 September 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 16 July 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
- ^ Australia list: "No. 40367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1954. p. 41.
- ^ "Mr John Michael Landy". It's an Honour. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Mr John Landy, MBE". It's an Honour. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Mr John Michael Landy". It's an Honour. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "His Excellency John Michael Landy, MBE". It's an Honour. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ It's an Honour – Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients". University of New England. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Landy to receive honorary doctorate". World Athletics. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "John Landy Athletics Field". Victorian Masters Athletics. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "The John Landy Centre". East Doncaster Secondary College. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "John Landy". monumentaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ISBN 9780810863781.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-7322-8517-8.
- The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It, by Neal Bascomb, 2004, ISBN 0-618-39112-6