Middle-distance runner and third man to run a four-minute mile

Born: July 6,1931

Died: May 23, 2018

THE athlete Laszlo Tabori who has died aged 86, was one of the world’s top middle distance runners of the 1950s and early ‘60s. The third man ever to run a four-minute mile following Sir Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy, he also set records over different distances at World, European, American and British level.

Had it not been for the Hungarian Revolution which took place in the build up to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and which in effect prevented his participation in the 1960 Rome Olympics, he would almost certainly have won an Olympic medal as well. In the UK, he is especially remembered for his outstanding performances in the summer of 1960 at the Rangers Sports at Ibrox and the Edinburgh Highland Games at Murrayfield.

Although it may surprise many, at the time these were two of the top athletics meetings in Britain and regularly attracted world class athletes. Tabori was competing throughout Europe that summer and a few weeks earlier had won the AAA’s mile championship in London. His first stop in Scotland was to compete in the mile at Ibrox on August 6 with one press report noting how in training beforehand he cut a colourful figure in a yellow canary outfit.

It was hoped he might dip under the four-minute mark against a quality field that included England’s former world record holder Derek Ibbotson. Hopes were high when he reached the bell in under three minutes but the anticipated challenge never properly materialised and he won comfortably in just over four minutes, the second fastest mile ever run in Scotland.

Two weeks later he ran at Murrayfield, having in the intervening period won the famous Emsley Carr mile in London and another race in Sweden. In Edinburgh he trained at the New Meadowbank stadium, commenting that the track was a particularly good one. To assist with crowd management 50 special buses had been laid on to ferry spectators to and from Murrayfield where he ran in the two-mile event. In what was described as one of the most stirring races for many years, his main opposition was future European champion Bruce Tulloh with the two running stride for stride till the last lap when despite Tabori’s final burst he was pipped on the line by his English opponent. Both were given the same time, a new Scottish All Comers record and an American one for Tabori.

His name is always linked with two other legendary Hungarian runners, Sandor Iharos and Istvan Rozsavolgyi whom he partnered to world records in the 4 x 1500m relay. All were coached by the iconic Mihali Igloi whose mantra was interval training. Initially, he was in the shade of his compatriots till on May 28, 1955 in London, he became the third man to break the four-minute barrier, setting a European record and beating Chris Chataway and Brian Hewson who also ran under four minutes, the first time three men had achieved the feat in one race. Three months later in Oslo Tabori equalled the 1500m world record, the metric mile.

He was now one of the favourites for Olympic gold in Melbourne but the Hungarian Revolution caused him considerable difficulties in the build-up to the Games, despite which he did well to finish fourth in the 1500m and sixth in the 5,000m. As he commented later, “We competed but our mind was not there.”

Tabori and coach Igloi chose not to return home because of the political situation and defected to the United States, initially sponsored by Sports Illustrated magazine. At the time,Tabori knew two words of English, one was pancake and the other an expletive. Initially he worked as a janitor while learning English in the evening and settled in the Los Angeles area where he successfully resumed his running career. Hoping to compete in the Rome Olympics, he was not permitted as he was considered a stateless person due to not yet having obtained US citizenship, a huge blow.

Born Laszlo Talabirsuk in Kosice, then in Slovakia, to Ferenc and Anna, he was the younger brother of Elizabeth and Marika. He was brought up in Abaujszanto in Hungary where his father was station master. During the war he experienced hardship and developed survival skills. He used to joke that he ran his first four-minute mile fleeing German and Russian soldiers. His first love was football but while doing military service his running talent was spotted and he joined Honved, the army sports club in Budapest, where Igloi began coaching him and launched his stellar career.

In 1962 in California he married Hungarian born Kata Preszburger whom he had met in the States and the couple enjoyed over 40 years together till Kata’s death in 2005. They had two daughters, Gabrielle and Ildiko. Later he married Laurie Kilchin and continued living in Los Angeles.

After retiring from competition in 1962, he worked as a mechanical engineer and opened his own sports shop, at the same time coaching successfully, especially female marathon runners.

He was honoured to carry the Olympic torch for the Los Angeles Games and as a special guest at the London Olympics, having been previously given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Olympic Committee.

He is survived by his wife, daughters and grandchildren, Mari, Nicolas and Izabella.

JACK DAVIDSON