In the heats he clocked one minute 0.60 seconds to slice 0.35 seconds from the world mark set by Hungary's Karoly Guttler, also in heats, in the 1993 European Championships in Sheffield, England.
There were then in Sherwood scores of masterless men like John of Mansfield, and when they heard how Robin had spoiled the Prior of Newark they sought him out with a view to joining him.