Australian athletics great John Landy remembered as an 'inspiration'

Tributes have poured in for legendary Australian athlete and former Victorian governor John Landy, who has died at the age of 91.

Landy was the second man to break the revered four-minute barrier for the mile in 1954.

He won bronze in the 1,500 metres at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and held the world record over that distance during his career.

Landy was also involved in what became known as the «Miracle Mile» when he famously finished second to Roger Bannister at the 1954 Vancouver British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman was among those in the Australian athletics community to pay tribute to Landy.

«A true athlete, scholar and gentleman. Rest In Peace,» Freeman tweeted.

Australian world championships gold medallist Rob de Castella described Landy as an «inspiration».

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe — a two-time Olympic 1,500m gold medallist — said Landy was one of the great pioneers of the golden age of middle-distance running in the 1950s.

«He lit the spark that led to the legendary chase for the four-minute mile between 1952 and 1954 and was one of main protagonists in that quest,» said Coe, who held the mile world record during his illustrious career.

«Ultimately Roger Bannister got there first but was also the first to recognise that Landy's excellence inspired him to reach that historic landmark.

»Landy followed up by breaking Bannister's world record in Finland just six weeks later.

«Their race for the world record and their iconic meeting at the 1954 Vancouver Commonwealth Games captured the imagination of the world and did more to globalise our sport than any other event of that era.»

Landy is most famously remembered for his performance in the mile final at the 1956 Australian