Holy grail for mile runners

While leading athletes have been tramping the tracks of the Diamond League across Europe, the Scottish athletics spotlight was on Stirling University on Friday night.

Already postponed twice, the Monument Mile Classic saw 24 races run over the famous distance with organisers hoping that at least one athlete would emulate Sir Roger Bannister in May 1954 and run a sub four-minute mile.

And the mythical time was beaten not once but twice in the Elite Men’s race.

Reading AC’S Jonny Davies became the first man in 11 years to clock a sub four-minute mile in Scotland with a superb run of 3:59.36 – with Brighton and Hove AC runner Ian Crowe-wright finishing 0.25 seconds later in 3:59.61. Kenyans Gideon Gathimba and Bethwell Birgen clocked the last sub four-minute runs on the track in Scotland in Aberdeen in August 2009.

“I am absolutely thrilled with that,” said Davies afterwards. “I’m well aware it has been a long time since sub four was run in Scotland and it’s great to have that next to my name now.

“I was confident and hopeful but I’ve run 4:00 twice before in my career – once on the road and once on the track – so it’s never certain. I ran 3:39 for 1500m in midweek so that was a further boost but this was a lot harder.

“I was at the front for longer and you are so conscious of trying to hit the target times. But the pacer did well and the whole event was brilliantly set up for it.”

Mark Pearce, of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, took third place in 4:02.85 and Perth Strathtay Harrier Sol Sweeney was the first Scot home in fourth in 4:04.72.

First home for host club Central AC was Alistair Hay who was seventh in 4:06.02.

The Women’s Elite race was won in 4:44.87 by Cambridge Uni athlete Louise Shanahan. Teammate Niamh Bridsonhubbard was second with

Edinburgh AC U17 athlete Katie Johnson third.

Twenty-four races came and went over a fourhour period after a huge organisational effort by race director Michael Wright and the team from Central AC and Stirling University.

A host of Covid-19 procedures and protocols were in place and it is to be hoped that athletes from many clubs in Scotland will take back tales of how the Monument Mile Classic was set up – in terms of the ‘flow’ of athletes and race ‘bubbles’ – back to their clubs for further discussion.

Michael said: “What an effort from everyone in the Scottish athletics community and particularly Central Athletic Club to make the event happen safely.

“Pacers, officials, the photo finish team, an army of volunteers, a university that loves their sport, together with responsible athletes, all working tirelessly to make it happen.

“Well done all, and what a night.”