Photo: 不明 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jim Ryun is, to me, the rare athlete whose story only gets more astonishing with time. Becoming the first high schooler to run a sub-four-minute mile is the kind of feat that should be impossible for a teenager, yet he did it and went on to win Olympic silver in the 1500 meters. That he remains the last American to hold the world record in the mile says something about how singular he was. What I admire most is the second act: trading the track for public service and earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Talent fades, but his discipline clearly never did.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jim Ryun
- Name (Japanese)
- ジム・ライアン
- Reading
- じむ・らいあん
- Born
- April 29, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Boar
- Origin
- Wichita, Kansas, United States
- Height
- 188 cm
- Occupation
- politician / middle-distance runner / athletics competitor / consultant / motivational speaker
2. Background
- High school
- Wichita East High School
- University
- University of Kansas
Awards & achievements
- 2020 Presidential Medal of Freedom
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jim Ryun born?
Born April 29, 1947 (age 79).
Where is Jim Ryun from?
Jim Ryun is from Wichita, Kansas, United States.
What does Jim Ryun do?
Jim Ryun works as politician, middle-distance runner, athletics competitor, consultant, motivational speaker.
How tall is Jim Ryun?
Jim Ryun is 188 cm.
Politician — see all → · Middle-distance runner — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.