| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (2009-04-12)12 April 2009 (age 16) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | middle distance running |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbests | |
Sam Ruthe (born 12 April 2009) is aNew Zealandmiddle andlong-distance runner. In early 2025, he won a senior national title in the1500 metres[note 1] and3000 metres.[1][2] He later became the youngest person in the world to run amile in less than four minutes, running 3:58.35 at the age of 15, and the fastest time for themile ever run by a 16 year-old with 3:53.83.[3] At the 2026 John Thomas Terrier Classic, Ruthe ran the mile in 3:48.88 for a world under-18 best, with the 1500 metres intermediate time of 3:33.25 also being recognised as a world under-18 best.[4][5]
FromTauranga in theBay of Plenty Region, Ruthe's parents Ben and Jess were both champion runners in New Zealand.[6][7][8] His grandparents Trevor Wright andRosemary Wright (née Stirling) competed at the Olympic Games, with Rosemary being the1970 Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 800 metres, and Trevor being a silver medalist in the 1971 European Marathon Championship.[9][10] Sam Ruthe sufferedinfant respiratory distress syndrome after birth and was onlife support for his first five days, needingoxygen therapy at a saturation of almost 100%.[11]
Ruthe trains under Craig Kirkwood in New Zealand in a group that includesSam Tanner.[12]
At 15 years old in November, Ruthe set a3000 metre personal best of 8:09.68 in Auckland, which broke the New Zealand under-17 and under-18 records in this event.[13]
In January, at the Cooks Classic meeting atCooks Gardens inWhanganui, Ruthe ran themile in a time of 4:01.72, reported to be 3.7 seconds quicker than the known world best for his age group.[7][8]
On 1 February, Ruthe won the New Zealand senior men's 3000m national championship held at the Potts Classic Meet inHastings. His time of 7:56.18 was a world best for his age group, and in winning Ruthe became the youngest national men's champion in New Zealand athletics history, beating the previous youngest male,Dave Norris, who was 17 when he won the triple jump in 1957.[1][8][14][15] A few days later on 9 February, Ruthe ran 3:41.25 over 1500 metres at the Sir Graeme Douglas International in Auckland to beatJakob Ingebrigtsen's world age-15 best of 3:42.44 from 2016.[16]
On 9 March, Ruthe won the New Zealand national senior men's 1500 metre title atDunedin'sCaledonian Ground, tying for first withSam Tanner in a time of 3:44.31.[1] On 19 March, 25 days before his 16th birthday, Ruthe became the youngest person, and first 15-year-old, to run asub-four minute mile, clocking 3:58.35 in Auckland.[17][18]
Ruthe ran a new 1500 m personal best of 3:40.12 in theJohn Landy Mile at theMaurie Plant Meet inMelbourne, on 29 March 2025.[19][20] On 12 July, he ran 3:39.17 to lower his own national under-17 and under-18 1500m records at the Sound Running Sunset Tour in Los Angeles.[21]
In December 2025, at the New Zealand secondary schools championships, Ruthe set senior boys' records in both the 800 and 1500 metres, with times of 1:46.81 and 3:38.62 respectively.[22][23] That month, he ran 13:40.48 in his debut race over5000 metres, to set a New Zealand under-20 record, in Auckland.[24]
On 3 January 2026, Ruthe set a national under-20 1000 metres record of 2:17.82, also a world’s best for a 16 and 17 year old. The time was just over a second outside thePeter Snell New Zealand resident record time of 2:16.6 from 1964 and theJohn Walker national record of 2:16.57 set in 1980.[25] Later that month, he lowered his 800 metres personal best to 1:45.86 as he won the Potts Classic in Hastings.[26] On 24 January, he ran the fastest mile by a 16 year-old with 3:53.83 at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui.[27]
In his first ever indoor mile at theBoston University Terriers classic on 31 January, Ruthe won in 3:48.88. This was the eleventh fastest time ever recorded indoors, broke the absolute New Zealand mile record of 3:49.08 ofJohn Walker from 1982, and the New Zealand indoor mile record of 3:51.06 set byNick Willis in 2016.[28] The time also set a new outright world under-18 best.[29]
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