Paula Ivan Breaks Slaney’s Record in Women’s Mile With Time of 4:15.61

Romania’s Paula Ivan broke American Mary Slaney’s world record in the women’s mile Monday at the Nikaia International Amateur Athletics Federation Mobil Grand Prix track and field meet.

Ivan, the Olympic 1,500-meter champion, ran 4:15.61 to better the mark of 4:16.71, which was set in August of 1985 by Slaney in Zurich, Switzerland. Ivan’s time was also better than the unratified and manual timing of 4:15.8 by the Soviet Union’s Natalia Artymova in August, 1984.

“I am very happy with the record,” Ivan said through an interpreter. “I was hoping for a fast race.”

Ivan ran the final two laps without a challenge.

Three Kenyans failed in record tries in other events. In the 3,000-meter run, Yobes Ondieki held a fast pace but faltered in the last lap to finish in 7:35.01, three seconds off the record.

In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Patrick Sang ran 8:14.74. The world record was set by Peter Koech at 8:05.35 last Monday.

Paul Ereng, the Olympic 800-meter champion, ran 1:43.22, a personal best, but missed Sebastian Coe’s world mark of 1:41.73.