Olympian to start city's mile-long run

An Olympian and European silver medallist in the 10,000m will start a community race to celebrate the first four-minute mile next month.

The Bannister Community Mile was first held in Oxford in 2024 to mark 70 years since Sir Roger Bannister ran the distance in three minutes and 59.4 seconds at the city's Iffley Road track on 6 May 1954.

Chris Thompson, who represented Team GB at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will start the race on 5 May and will run the distance with his four-year-old son, Theo.

The event is organised by Oxford University and the Oxford University Cross Country Club and will be an annual event.

"I feel very honoured to be the official starter of this year's Bannister Community Mile, and having Theo involved as well will make it extra special," Thompson said.

"Though my career took off when I went for the longer distances, a mile is just right everyone in the community - from kids to grandparents - to feel the thrill of running at any pace and taste the grit of competition.

"The centre of Oxford - what an amazing place to run a road mile."

Thompson added: "I have very fond memories of Roger Bannister and always admired his encouragement to everyone he met to take up some kind of sport, whether it be athletics, badminton or canoeing."

Sir Roger, who died in the city in 2018, completed his record-breaking run in front of a crowd of 3,000.

He later won a Commonwealth and a European Championship gold medal, before becoming a distinguished neurologist.

He was the master of the city's Pembroke College between 1985 and 1993.

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