John Landy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Landy
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Landy in 1956
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| 26th Governor of Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 January 2001 – 7 April 2006 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier | Steve Bracks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lieutenant | Lady Marigold Southey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sir James Gobbo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David de Kretser | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
John Michael Landy
12 April 1930 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Died | 24 February 2022 (aged 91) Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia |
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| Spouse | Lynne Fisher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Athlete, governor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Michael Landy (1930–2022) was an Australian athlete and a state governor. He was famous for being the second person ever to run a mile in under four minutes. He also held world records for the 1500-metre and mile races. Later in life, he served as the 26th Governor of Victoria from 2001 to 2006.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
John Landy was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on April 12, 1930. He went to Malvern Memorial Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School. In 1954, he earned a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne.
Athletic Career
John Landy loved watching track events when he was in school. He started running seriously at university, joining the Geelong Guild Athletic Club in 1949. He was part of the Australian Olympic team for both the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki and the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. At the 1956 Olympics, he took the Olympic Oath, which is a promise made by athletes.
Breaking the Four-Minute Mile
On June 21, 1954, in Finland, Landy became the second person in history to run a mile in under four minutes. His time was 3 minutes and 57.9 seconds, which was a new world record at the time. The first person to achieve this was Roger Bannister.
The Miracle Mile
Later in 1954, Landy ran his second sub-four-minute mile at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. This race was very exciting because it was a direct competition between Landy and Roger Bannister, the two fastest milers in the world. People called it "The Miracle Mile" or "The Race of the Century." Millions of people listened on the radio or watched on television.
During the race, as Landy looked over his left shoulder, Bannister passed him on the right to win. A large bronze statue in Vancouver shows this exact moment. Landy joked about it, saying he was "probably the only one ever turned into bronze for looking back."
A Moment of Sportsmanship
At the 1956 Australian National Championships, before the Melbourne Olympics, Landy showed amazing sportsmanship. In the mile race, another runner accidentally tripped Ron Clarke, who was leading. Landy, who was right behind, stopped and went back to check on Clarke.
Clarke got back up and started running again, and Landy followed. Even after stopping, Landy managed to catch up and win the race. This act of kindness and fairness has been remembered as a great example of sportsmanship. A bronze statue in Melbourne shows Landy helping Clarke.
Governor of Victoria
On January 1, 2001, John Landy became the 26th Governor of Victoria. The Governor is the representative of the Queen in the state of Victoria. He was chosen for this role by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks.
Landy served as Governor until April 7, 2006. In his last month as Governor, he was the final runner in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2006 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Melbourne. He presented the baton to the Queen.
Other Achievements
After his running career, Landy worked as a senior manager at a company called ICI Australia. He also gave many public speeches. For eight years, he was part of the Victorian Land Conservation Council, helping to make decisions about how public land in Victoria should be used.
John Landy also wrote two books about nature: Close to Nature (1984) and A Coastal Diary (1993). In 2009, he helped lead an advisory panel for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.
Later Life and Passing
John Landy passed away on February 24, 2022, at his home in Castlemaine, Victoria. He was 91 years old and had been living with Parkinson's disease.
Honours and Awards
John Landy received many awards and honours throughout his life.
- In 1955, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to sport.
- He received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.
- In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal and became a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).
- In 2006, he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) during the Queen's visit to Australia.
- He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.
Landy also received several honorary degrees from universities, including the University of Victoria, the University of New England, the University of Melbourne, and Deakin University.
The main athletic facility in Geelong, Australia, is named Landy Field in his honour. A sports oval in Melbourne's Central Park is also dedicated to him, where he used to train.
In Media
In 1988, a television miniseries called The Four Minute Mile was made about the rivalry between John Landy and Roger Bannister. In the series, Landy was played by actor Nique Needles.
See also
In Spanish: John Michael Landy para niños
