A total of twenty-four Games records were set or improved over the competition, leaving just five previous best marks untouched.

Roger Bannister had been the first to have broken the barrier earlier that year, but Landy followed soon after with sub-4 minute (and world record time) of his own.

Landy led until the final curve, at which point he turned to gauge Bannister's position.

Bannister took the opportunity to overtake him on his blind side and he edged out a victory over Landy with a time of 3:58.8 minutes.

He collapsed in his final lap of the stadium, however, and did not finish the race (which was won by Joe McGhee).