Sir John George Walker is a former middle-distance runner from New Zealand who won the gold medal in the men's 1500 m event at the 1976 Olympics. He was also the first person to run the mile in under 3:50. After his running career was over he was active in local government, as an Auckland Councillor and representing the Manurewa-Papakura ward. John Walker (New Zealand) set the men's mile world record of 3:49.4 in Gothenburg on August 12, 1975. It stood 3.9 years, until Sebastian Coe's 3:49.0 on July 17, 1979. Wiki link