{"product_id":"landy-era-book-len-johnson-9781877096938","title":"The Landy Era","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorld-class athletics was something that happened overseas, not in Australia. And then, on 13 December 1952, John Landy ran a mile at Melbourne's Olympic Park in four minutes 2.1 seconds. In those few minutes he re-ignited the race for the sub-four minute mile and inspired a generation of Australian athletes to challenge the world at distances from 880 yards to the marathon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers, notably the charismatic coach Percy Cerutty, and Landy's Helsinki Olympics teammates Don Macmillan and Les Perry, played significant roles in this flowering of talent.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFollowing Landy, Herb Elliott rose to the top, winning the 1500 metres at the 1960 Rome Olympics, smashing the world record.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom 1954 to 1968, Landy, Dave Stephens, Elliott, Albie Thomas, Ron Clarke and Ralph Doubell broke world records. Elliott and Doubell became Olympic champions; Landy, Al Lawrence, Dave Power and Clarke took Olympic medals. Derek Clayton set world records in the marathon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePat Clohessy, on whom Landy was a formative influence, coached Robert de Castella to a world championships gold medal in the marathon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJohn Landy was not the only influence, but it was undeniably his era; he was its first, and greatest, star and he directly inspired and advised many of the subsequent athletes and coaches.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe led Australia form nowhere to the top of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49572301603089,"sku":"GOR006965646","price":12.69,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51056110502161,"sku":"NIN9781877096938","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52481255538961,"sku":"NLS9781877096938","price":27.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1877096938.jpg?v=1751379091","url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/products\/landy-era-book-len-johnson-9781877096938","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}