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A Column By Len Johnson

Len Johnson wrote for The Melbourne Age as an athletics writer for over 20 years, covering five Olympics, 10 world championships and five Commonwealth Games.

He has been the long-time lead columnist on RT and is one of the world’s most respected athletic writers.

He is also a former national class distance runner (2.19.32 marathon) and trained with Chris Wardlaw and Robert de Castella among other running legends. He is the author of The Landy Era.

Monaco’s Stade Louis II stadium has become the locus of superfast middle-distance performances over recent years. Before we start wondering whether there might be something miraculous in the Mediterranean air, there are some other obvious factors at play.
A column by Len Johnson One moment it’s Cameron Myers running a 3:47.48 mile at New York’s indoor meeting of legend, the Millrose Games, his time equaling the outright and outdoor national record held by Olli Hoare. Next, it’s Jack Rayner breaking 13 minutes for 5000 metres, the first sub-13 by...
A column by Len Johnson - Runner's Tribe There were five gold medals awarded on the fourth day of the world championships and each of them was special in its own way. There was the emotion of Daniel Stahl’s gold medal in the discus after several years of world-leading throws coupled...
A column by Len Johnson - Runner's Tribe In the world or precious stones, cut diamonds are more precious than raw, uncut diamonds. The cutting process – expensive in itself – adds value. Expertly cut diamonds will always have more value than raw, uncut diamonds of the same carat, colour and...
Looks Good Enough To Eat My internet search engine (rhymes with poodle) regularly publishes doodles (also rhymes) commemorating various anniversaries. The import of these usually ranges from “I didn’t know that”, through “ho-hum”, to “I didn’t want to know that.” Occasionally, one strikes a chord and a resounding one was hit...
A column by Len Johnson - Runner's Tribe Australia’s most famous open-water yacht contest is the annual Sydney to Hobart race. Most years in these modern times, line honours are taken out by a sleek Maxi (length greater than 21m) boat crammed full of the latest technology. The fastest of these...
  A column by Len Johnson Neil Robbins knew Ron Clarke well enough to call him ‘Fat’, Clarke’s boyhood family nickname. He was a teammate of John Landy and Marjorie Jackson; a clubmate of Les Perry, Geoff Warren and Dave Stephens, ‘the Flying Milko’. He trained with Merv Lincoln and many...
Athletics can be one of the most democratic of sports, accessible to both the fastest, highest and strongest and the slowest, lowest and puniest. Such is true of most sports, of course. Tennis is played both at the sublime Federer-Nadal-Williams level and as hit-and-giggle social doubles. Golf is Tiger Woods,...
A column by Len Johnson – Runner’s Tribe Could it be that the year’s best performance in the marathon came in the equivalent of a ‘beer mile’? Well, it could just be. That’s if you’re prepared to accord Nike’s Breaking 2 project at least as much credibility as an event in...
Prior to the World Cross Country Championship in Bathurst, RT will unveil a comprehensive, 10-part series, composed by Len Johnson, that delves into the historical narrative of Australia’s participation in World XC. Part 10 of 10 – Written by Len Johnson With Bathurst ‘23 rapidly closing in, it is time to...