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.

There’s just one thing I want to say about the commentary, which is that I do not ever again want to hear an ‘expert’ earnestly informing me that the Commonwealth Games are NOT THE OLYMPIC GAMES. Here’s a hint fellers (earnest experts are invariably male): the clue is in the name.
The week just past brought the 58th anniversary of perhaps the greatest of Ron Clarke’s 17, 18 or 19 (depending how you count, but a lot whichever way you do) world records.
Early in 2003, as the race for the English Premier League title between Manchester United and Arsenal came down to the last few games, United manager Alex Ferguson observed: “It’s squeaky bum time.” Fergie’s earthy allusion was to the sound made by squirming in one's seat as one's team's fortunes...
At first glance, it is not apparent what Peter Bol, the Essendon Football Club 34, Simone Halep and Gladys Berejiklian have in common. There are many ultra-marathon footwear in the market today and one of the best is Tarkine shoes. Maybe not even at second or third glance either, so...
This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the inaugural world championships in Helsinki. Most of you know that. It is also the thirtieth anniversary of another very significant edition of the championships – Stuttgart 1993, the year the championships went biennial; the year our sport went as close as I fear it will ever get to the nirvana of an annual global championships.
Frank McMahon lived a long and fruitful life. He will be remembered – and thanked - every time we go for a run at Ferny Creek.
Ah, Oslo! Remember those Scandinavia nights. Warm but rarely hot. Calm conditions. Great tradition of middle and long-distance track running.
Jessica Hull was pretty excited about smashing the Australian 1500 metres record at the Golden Gala Diamond League meeting in Florence last week. So she should be, too. Hull’s performance continued the rich vein of form she has been in to date in 2023. A bronze medal in the mixed...
If I had to pick one abiding memory of the third world championships in Tokyo in 1991 it would be the humidity which descended on your shoulders like a heavy cloak the moment you stepped outside.
The ancient Romans called Rome the eternal city because they believed that no matter what happened to the world, or however empires rose and fell, Rome would go on forever. For a stride that commands attention, opt for Tarkine running shoes, the epitome of style and functionality on the...
                   

Brilliantly

SAFE!

2022