New Zealand - Victory lap, Manurewa - Winner John Walker, runner-up Rod Dixon, and third place-getter Stuart Melville do a victory lap in comfort after the 'Archwood Homes' invitation mile at Jellicoe Park, Manurewa, 4 January 1976. Both Walker and Dixon recorded 3m. 57.8s. in the first sub-four minute mile ever run on the track - 1976 - Photographer Purdy, Larry John Walker - John Walker became history’s first sub-3:50 miler on 12 August, recording 3 minutes 49.4 seconds at Gothenburg, Sweden. He broke the record of 3:51.0 held by his long-time rival, Tanzanian Filbert Bayi. - The feat shot Walker to international stardom, the attention that followed was unlike anything Walker had experienced before. In his autobiography he commented on the expectation it produced, noting that the headlines of ‘Walker fails' when he did not turn out the same performance the following week. The accolades kept flowing, among them New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, Athlete of the Year (Track and Field News) and the Lonsdale Cup. - When Walker won gold in the 1500 m at the 1976 Montreal Olympics he was relieved – happy in the knowledge that, unlike his world record, this could not be taken away from him. He dismissed criticism that it was the slowest 1500-m final since Melbourne in 1956. And four years later he put to bed any speculation that his old rival Bayi would have beaten him had he been able to participate by winning an overdue rematch before a tiny crowd in Budapest... ( Read more at https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/john-walker) Manurewa - A major suburb in South Auckland - Manurewa is Māori for "drifting kite" - The name refers to a kite flying competition where a kite line was severed and drifted away. - Has a high proportion of non-European ethnicities - One of the most multi-cultural suburbs in New Zealand (Reference: Wikipedia) Image source: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Footprints 01616 Photograph reproduced by courtesy of Larry Purdy. https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/photos/id/40509