Sport: The Running Machine

Jampacked in Oslo's Bislett Stadium, 33,000 track fans one night last week howled for Australian Runner Herb Elliott to break his own world's record for 1,500 meters. Elliott was obviously out to please, but he finished 1.4 sec. off the record of 3:36 that he set last month in Göteborg, Sweden. "The going was hard and good, and I have no complaints," he gasped later, "except that I may be a little tired by now."

Elliott had plenty of reason to be tired. His Oslo race completed the greatest sustained middle-distance performance in the history of foot racing. High spot: setting the...