2004

2004

The year marked the 50th anniversary of the running of the Miracle Mile, the memorable 1954 British Empire Games showdown between sub-four-minute milers Roger Bannister of Britain and Australian John Landy. Mile greats Peter Snell and John Walker of New Zealand, and American Steve Scott were joined at the meet as honoured guests by Victor Milligan, who finished fourth in the 1954 Miracle Mile race won by Bannister at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium. In what was a glorious sunny Canada Day afternoon, the 2004 Jerome meet featured many outstanding performances, including a victory by Kenya’s Daniel Komen in the 2010 LegaciesNow men’s mile. Komen completed the distance in 3:54.02, leading five other runners – including three Canadians – under the magic four-minute mark. Ryan McKenzie of Windsor, Ont., led the Canadian finishers, finishing fourth in 3:58.52 for his first career sub-four-minute-mile. American veteran Matt Hemingway won the men’s high jump and would later go on to take the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Athens. In other events, Canadian hurdlers Priscilla Lopes and Angela Whyte finished second and third behind women’s 100 hurdles winner Danielle Carruthers of the United States. The duo went on to join world champion Perdita Felicien at the Olympics as Canada qualified an unprecedented three women hurdlers for the Games in Athens.