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AAP
Sport
John Salvado

Cameron Myers, 16, smashes the four-minute mile

Olli Hoare won the John Landy Mile at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Canberra schoolboy Cameron Myers has become the second-youngest person after the great Jakob Ingebrigtsen to break the four-minute mile.

And Myers' time at the Maurie Plant Classic in Melbourne on Thursday was quicker than that run by the reigning Olympic 1500m champion.

Myers, aged 16 years and 259 days, clocked an astonishing time of three minutes 55.44 seconds at Lakeside Stadium, finishing third behind Australia's Commonwealth Games champion Olli Hoare.

He stripped a massive 12 seconds off his personal best.

Norwegian superstar Ingebrigtsen was only nine days younger when he first broke the magical four-minute barrier, clocking 3:58.07 in May 2017.

"He did it nine days earlier than I did it today," said Myers, who is doing Year 11 at Ginninderra College in Canberra.

"Obviously it would have been cool to do it in early February but it didn't fit in with my timetable.

"It's a really big confidence-booster but I've got to stay humble and keep working hard."

Hoare crossed the line first in 3:52.34 and New Zealander Sam Tanner was second in 3:53.83.

"At 3:55 (Myers) is probably running at 16 years of age better than most people in college in the US," said Hoare.

"It's amazing talent for Australia moving forward and I'm excited for him.

""That's why we have these meets, why we have the hype, why we have people come back, to give our youth an opportunity to run fast and compete well with some of the best.

"He was able to get that opportunity and he seized it."

Reigning 100m world champion and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Fred Kerley from the United Sates claimed a dominant win in the men's 200m.

The American raised his right hand in triumph 20 metres from the line and coasted to victory in 20.32 seconds.

"I could have broken 20 but the W (win) is all that matters," said Kerley.

Australian 100m specialist Rohan Browning hung tough to finish second in 20.71.

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