Morning Sports Update
Sam Ruthe set a New Zealand mile record outright, and also a world record for anyone under the age of 18.
February 2, 2026 | 11:06 AM
3 minutes to read
History at Boston University: During the John Thomas Terrier Class at Boston University’s indoor track over the weekend, 16-year-old New Zealand runner Sam Ruthe set a junior world record.
Ruthe, running in the invitational one-mile competition against a talented field of professionals on Saturday, stopped the clock at an almost unbelievable time of 3:48.88. He instantly became the world record holder for anyone under 18 in the mile discipline, as well as New Zealand’s new mile record holder outright. This topped a mark (3:49:08) set by Olympic gold medalist John Walker in 1982.
Ruthe has increasingly been on the radar of the running world, especially after he became the youngest to ever break a four-minute mile (which he did at the age of 15 last March).
But on BU’s track (seen as being conducive to faster speeds), Ruthe was able surpass the already high expectations.
“I really didn’t expect to get Walker’s national record [today],” he told CNN Sports afterward. “I hoped to get it one day but that was a real surprise as I thought it may have been three or four years away. I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world.”
Hailing from a family of athletes — including his grandmother, Rosemary Stirling, a 1972 Olympian — Ruthe has overcome significant challenges to compete as an athlete from New Zealand.
“The time he ran today, for example, is faster than anyone has ever run in New Zealand, so [to keep developing] he needs to travel for racing and quite considerable distances, Ruthe’s father, Ben, told CNN. “It took 50 hours to get to Boston from home but all well worth it to get good competition.”
The current one mile world record is held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, who ran it in 3:43:13 in Rome in 1999.
Trivia: Who was the first runner to break the four-minute mile barrier?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was later knighted.
Score and schedules:
The Celtics defeated the Bucks 107-79 on Sunday.
The Bruins, facing the Lightning in the unique setting of the NHL’s Stadium Series, squandered a 5-1 lead before losing 6-5 in a shootout.
The Patriots, meanwhile, continue preparations for Super Bowl LX. New England will take the field against the Seahawks on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
The Bruins entered dressed as Patriots: The Boston team kept its theatrical pregame outfit choice close to the city’s roots (and, conveniently, also Super Bowl themed).
The Patriots have arrived: After a send-off rally on Sunday morning, the team arrived in California by evening.
On this day: In 2001, Paul Pierce’s 40 points led the Celtics past the Pistons in a 102-95 win. Elsewhere, Brian Gionta (who would go on to play 16 seasons in the NHL) set the Boston College goal-scoring record with his 113th tally in a 4-3 Eagles win over UMass-Lowell.
Daily highlight: A (strong) goal-of-the-season contender was conjured from nothing by Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke in the eventual 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday. The replay is worth a watch.
Trivia answer: Sir Roger Bannister
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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