Sam Ruthe in action at the Douglas International. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Teenage middle distance sensation Sam Ruthe has added another chapter to his incredible recent run of form, eclipsing another age group world best for 1500 metres, held by two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway.
Running at the Sir Graeme Douglas International in Auckland, Ruthe, 15, has recorded 3m 41.25s for second behind Japanese Ryoji Tatezawa (3m 40.20s), eclipsing New Zealand U17 and U18 records in the process.
The result is the latest of a string of jaw-dropping performances over the past two weeks that has seen him clock 4m 01.72s for the mile, 1m 50.57s for 800 metres and 7m 56.18s for 3000 metres, as he became the youngest athlete to claim a senior men's national title.
"I wasn't exactly targeting that [Ingebrigtsen's best]," said Ruthe. "I just went into the race hoping to do the best I could in terms of placing and it was a bonus to get his record - I definitely had it in the back of my mind."
The time took more than five seconds off this previous best, achieved en route to his mile best at Whanganui two weeks ago.
As he did during the 3000m championships in Hastings seven days earlier, Ruthe settled into the front bunch and stayed close to the leaders, while others dropped away. With 100 metres left, he was still fourth, but showed promising speed down the home straight to overhaul Australians Will Lewis and Matt Hussey for second.
Ryoji Tatezawa wins the Douglas International 1500m Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
"I was actually quite lucky they both moved out quite wide, so I could find the gap," he said. "It felt real, real nice having that gap open up.
"I go into these races, parking in behind the other people and hoping the pull me through, and this race did exactly that.
"I couldn't even imagine all this happening before the season, so much fun."
This race may prove an important steppingstone towards Ruthe's next goal - becoming the youngest runner to break four minutes for the mile, also achieved by Ingebrigtsen, when he was 16.
His latest 1500m time should now propel him into the mile field for the Maurie Plant Meet at Melbourne next month.
Ruthe's performance left him a tantalising three-hundredths of a second slower than dad and former NZ 1500m champion Ben Ruthe for family bragging rights.
"That's alright, I don't think he'll have it for long, so he should enjoy it while it lasts."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
