It was 62 years ago today!

On this day all of 62 years ago Australia’s Albie Thomas set the very first World Record in the then Clonliffe Harriers Stadium, Santry (now Morton Stadium), July 9th 1958. The ‘Summer International Sports’  featured Santry’s first world record when before an attendance of 7000 spectators Albie set a three mile world record of 13:11.8 .

In 2008 Albie fifty years later recalled: ‘…. It was only with about two laps to go that there was a huge roar from the crowd and Dave Power was yelling ‘go you can break the world record!’ and that was the only indication I had – I definitely hadn’t gone into the race to break a world record.   It was completely unplanned’.

July 9th, 1958 World 3 Mile Record

Albie is very fondly remembered by Clonliffe Harriers with the Albie Thomas Memorial race in Morton Games and we had the pleasure of Albie’s company a couple of years before his death when he visited the stadium to mark the 50th anniversary of that record. Since his passing Ablie’s wife Nola, his daughter Robyn and her family have been our guests, most recently in 2018 to mark the 60th anniversary.

July 2008, Albie visits Santry for 50th Anniversary

Today we say G’day to all our Aussie friends on this special day.