On this day in the era before the Sub-4 Mile; Gunder Hägg set a new World Record with the time of 4:06.2 in 1942. He set this new World Record in the photo below in Gothenburg. This was the first record Hägg would achieve.
On race day in Gothenburg, Hägg and Arne Andersson planned on going for Sydney Wooderson’s 4:06.4 Mile World Record.
Olle Petersson led the field through 400 in 58.8, and then Gösta Jacobsson took over for a 62.2 second lap (2:01). Petersson did some more leading in the third lap, but then Hägg, challenged by Andersson, went to the front and passed 1200 in 3:05.8, with Andersson still right on his heels.
In the last 300 Hägg had to fight hard all the way to the tape to hold off Andersson. His hard-won and narrow victory produced that new World Record of 4:06.2, Andersson clocking 4:06.4.
Gunder Hägg was an incredible athlete as he set 15 middle distance world records ranging from 1500m to 5000m, including three at both the 1500m and the mile.
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