The Commonwealth Mile is a tribute to Roger Bannister and John Landy’s duel over the gap on the 1954 Video games in Vancouver
Organisers of the 2026 Commonwealth Video games have introduced the mile will substitute the 1500m in Glasgow.
The Commonwealth Mile, which is able to see athletes racing over the gap on the Video games for the primary time in 60 years, is a tribute to Roger Bannister and John Landy’s fearsome battle over roughly 4 laps in 1954.
Dubbed “The Miracle Mile”, Bannister and Landy clocked 3:58.8 and three:59.6 respectively on the then British Empire and Commonwealth Video games – the primary time that two males had ever damaged the four-minute barrier in the identical race.
The pulsating contest, watched by 35,000 folks in Vancouver, occurred simply three months after Bannister grew to become the primary particular person in historical past to file a sub-four-minute mile, at Oxford’s Iffley Street.
Landy subsequently lowered the world file to three:58.0, that means their showdown in Canada grew to become some of the anticipated occasions of that complete Video games.
Roger Bannister (Getty)
A sculpture of the race-deciding second, with barely something separating Bannister and Landy on the end line, was later positioned outdoors the Empire Stadium in reminiscence of the duel.
The mile lasted till the 1966 Video games in Jamaica, earlier than it was changed with the 1500m on the 1970 version in Edinburgh.
Ladies by no means obtained the chance to compete within the mile on the Video games – their longest race in 1954 was the 220 yard dash – and the primary official girls’s mile file was the 4:37.0 set by Anne Smith in 1967.
“The mile is the quintessential Commonwealth athletics occasion whose return I very a lot welcome,” stated World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, who advised the occasion to Glasgow organisers.
“From 1930 by means of to 1966, the mile was the blue-riband occasion of every Video games and the magic of the mile continues to resonate. A ticket to observe its Commonwealth ultimate can be one of many must-have seats in Glasgow subsequent 12 months.”
Seb Coe (Getty)
In addition to the introduction of the mile, the blended 4x400m – the occasion has already appeared at each the Olympics and world championships – will make its debut on the Commonwealth Video games.
Para Athletics will even see athletes competing in leaping, throwing and monitor occasions, with all three disciplines being included on the programme for the primary time in Video games historical past.
“This compelling medal occasion programme continues the purple thread of innovation that could be a key part of Glasgow 2026’s compelling idea – by way of sports activities codecs and disciplines, the compact variety of sports activities, and concentrated variety of current venues,” stated Chief Government of the Commonwealth Video games Federation, Katie Sadleir.
“We’re thrilled to see such an thrilling medal programme for the Commonwealth Video games that may make sure to delight and excite followers attending in-person or watching at house throughout every day of competitors.
“With extra para sport medals than ever earlier than within the Video games, Glasgow 2026 guarantees to be a really inclusive competition of sport and celebration of tradition and variety that conjures up our athletes.”
Olivia Breen (Mark Shearman)
Males’s occasions:
100m; 200m; 400m; 800m; mile; 5000m; 10,000m; 3000m steeplechase; 110m hurdles; 400m hurdles; excessive bounce; pole vault; lengthy bounce; triple bounce; shot put; discus throw; hammer throw; javelin throw; 10,000m race stroll; decathlon; 4 x 100m relay
Ladies’s occasions:
100m; 200m; 400m; 800m; mile; 5000m; 10,000m; 3000m steeplechase; 100m hurdles; 400m hurdles; excessive bounce; pole vault; lengthy bounce; triple bounce; shot put; discus throw; hammer throw; javelin throw; 10,000m race stroll; heptathlon; 4 x 100m relay
Combined occasions:
4x400m relay
Males’s para occasions:
T12 100m; T38 100m; T47 100m; T20 1500m; T54 1500m; F42-44/F61-64 discus throw; F57 shot put; T20 lengthy bounce
Ladies’s para occasions:
T38 100m; T47 100m; T38 200m; T54 400m; T54 1500m; F42-44/F61-64 discus throw; F57 shot put; T38 lengthy bounce
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