1.
STV Contestants line up for mile race and start
0.13

2.
GV Runners along track and rounding corner
0.34

3.
GV Crowd
0.37

4.
SV Runners towards finish Ryun taking lead
0.42

5.
SV Crowd
0.43

6.
GTV Ryun maintains lead and crosses finish line
1.04

7.
SV Ryun through crowd
1.14



Initials BB/1100 RPM/AS/BB/1130


SPORT - CAR RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: U.S. mile runner Jim Ryun regained his championship form, winning last Saturday's (April 22) mile (1.6 kilometre) event in Kansas. Ryun's time was 3 minutes 57.1 seconds.

The American track star, who holds the world record for the mile, defeated his closest U.S. rival, Tom Von Ruden, with a lead of 8 yards (2.7 metres)
Ryun came out of retirement more than a year ago, but was unable to find his championship form. In meet after meet, he failed to show his former style.

Recently he returned to Kansas to train under his former college coach, Bob Timmons. That decision paid off in Saturday's race. In the last half of the last lap, Ryun moved out in front and stayed there for the remainder of the race.

SYNOPSIS: U.S. mile runner Jim Ryun was looking for a comeback victory at Kansas last Saturday. Since coming out of retirement, he's been unable to find his championship form.

Though he led at the start, he was overtaken half way around the third lap. It seemed that Ryun, who holds the world record for the mile, was headed for another disappointment. In meet after meet he failed to show his old form. Recently he returned to Kansas to work out with his former coach. And on Saturday those work outs paid off.

Halfway around the last lap, Ryun took the lead and held it until the finish.

Saturday's race was the twentieth time in Ryun's career that he's broken the 4-minute mark for the mile in outdoor competition. In indoor races, he has bettered the mark on nine occasions. Crossing the finish line at 3 minutes 51.1 seconds, he was eight yards ahead of his nearest rival, Tom Von Ruden.

The win in Kansas must have been special for him. It was there that he became the country's top miler while a student at Kansas University.