This year’s Bupa Westminster Mile will mark the 60th anniversary of Sir Roger Bannister’s legendary first sub-four minute mile.
The 84-year-old former athlete launched the race, which takes place along The Mall on May 24, with Paralympic champion David Weir and Diane Leather, the first woman to run a sub-five-minute mile.
Sir Roger visited Paddington Recreation Ground this week where he trained for his world-record run which he smashed at Iffley Road track in Oxford on May 6, 1954.
He said: “I wish I’d had a track like this to run on. The mile has a wonderful symmetry as a race, neither too short nor too long, and I’m looking forward very much to being involved with this event.
“It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm of so many for the mile distance.”
The Bupa Westminster Mile is now accepting entries for 5,500 places. The programme includes one-mile races for children, families and adults and features the British Athletics One-Mile Road Championships for juniors, seniors and wheelchair athletes.
Sir Roger is patron of this year’s event and the winner of the senior men’s championship race will be awarded the newly commissioned Sir Roger Bannister trophy. Diane Leather has given her name to the new trophy for the senior women’s race.
Weir, six-time gold medallist, will compete in the senior wheelchair championships and has set himself the monumental target of becoming the first athlete to clock a sub-three-minute mile. His personal best stands close at three minutes, 16 seconds.
“It’s a huge challenge but I think, given the right conditions and with the support of the organisers, a sub-three-minute mile is possible,” he said.
Westminster Council co-hosts the event as part of its commitment to encourage more people to take up sport and be physically active.
Councillor Steve Summers, cabinet member for community, said: “After the success of last year, the return of this annual race marks the fulfilment of a lasting Olympic legacy in the city, creating a new sporting opportunity which is accessible for people of all different ages and abilities, and a fun day out for the whole family.”
Visit www.bupawestminstermile.co.uk to enter. The entry fee is £8 for adults, £7 for Westminster residents, £6 for children aged nine-17 and children under nine are free.
The closing date for entries is May 6.
