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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 6 (September 1, 1937.)

The Man Who Beat Lovelock

The Man Who Beat Lovelock.

Twelve months ago Jack Lovelock won the 1,500 metres track event at the Olympic Games in Berlin and so brought to New Zealand its first Olympic track crown. In that Olympic race was a young, inexperienced American athlete, Archie San Romani, who ran into fame a few short months later by defeating Lovelock when the New Zealander was en route to New Zealand.

San Romani's win was “written down” as a victory over an athlete who had achieved the success he had sought—the Olympic crown—and had no great incentive to run the race of his life. But San Romani is no ordinary miler! Competing under atrocious weather conditions on the Princeton track a few weeks ago San Romani defeated Don Lash and Glenn Cunningham in the second fastest mile race ever recorded. San Romani's time was 4 min. 71/5 sec., and Lash, who finished second, was credited with the same time, because he was only an “eyelash” away. Cunningham's time was 4 min. 7 2/5 sec. Although the weather conditions were vile, all three athletes bettered the world record established on the same track four years earlier—almost to the day— by Jack Lovelock. Lovelock has not raced this season, but in one appearance at an athletic meeting in England he made a hit as a starter in sprint events.