Thousands to join Paralympic heroes in London’s Mile one-day athletics festival

Thousands of people will be toeing the line with Paralympic heroes David Weir and Richard Whitehead in the inaugural Bupa Westminster Mile on Sunday (26th May).

The event gives walkers, runners and joggers who perhaps aren't ready to run traditional longer road race distances he chance to take part in a mass participation event.

But the mile is a distance that has a special significance in British sporting history, ever since Sir Roger Bannister became the first man to break the magical four-minute barrier at Iffley Road track in Oxford in May 1954.

And the Bupa Westminster Mile has plenty of elite British running talent on show, with Weir and Whitehead joining seven British men sub-4 milers amongst the names of many other well known British athletes, especially featuring in the women’s field Lisa Dobriskey and Hannah England.

Dobriskey has become a world-class runner despite being told as a child she would never walk properly. Her career highlights include Commonwealth Champion in 2006, fourth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, World Championship silver in 2009, and also in 2009 Lisa broke the four minute barrier to move second behind Kelly Holmes on the British all time ranking list.

Hannah England, who finished ninth at the London 2012 Olympics 1500m after struggling with injury, has a quick finish as witnessed at the 2011 World Championships 1500m, where, following a sprint off the bend, England moved from seventh place to finish with a silver medal, so expect an exciting finish on The Mall on Sunday.

Olympic hero Mo Farah will fire the starting gun at the day-long series of one mile races which end on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. There are more than 20 races for competitors of all ages. Good luck to everyone taking part!