On this day 50 years ago, Robin Lingle ’60 broke the University of Missouri’s record in the mile run, setting fire to the track at the Midwest Track and Field Federation Championships in Kansas City, KS.

Lingle reset the Tiger record books with a run of 4:00.3, a mark that would stand at Missouri for eight years before being bested by a mere 0.7 seconds. It was the fastest collegiate time in America that season. Had Lingle broken four minutes, he would have been only the 10th American to accomplish that feat. Coming into the meet, Lingle already had the fastest mile time in America on the year, clocking a 4:01.7 vs. Kansas State.

To this day it remains the 3rd-fastest mile in the illustrious history of Missouri Track.

Lingle would graduate from Missouri in 1965 with seven Conference Championships in tow including two in the 1,000 yard run, four in the mile run, and one in the 5,000 yard run. He also anchored the 4×800 relay team that held the American record at the time with a mark of 7:17.8, a time that would remain unbeaten at Missouri for 36 years.

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