The four-minute mile was broken for the first time ever at the Vitality Westminster Mile as Joe Wigfield stormed to a historic victory in 3 minutes and 58 seconds in the inaugural British Milers’ Club (BMC) Bannister Mile in front of Buckingham Palace.
70 years after Sir Roger Bannister breached four minutes over a mile for the first time, Wigfield became just the 21st man to achieve the feat on the road since that celebrated day and the first ever at the Westminster Mile. He finished ahead of James Young and Jacob Cann (both 4:01), having been paced at a sub-four speed at the head of the group.
The first woman across the line was Katie Snowden in 4:23, a course record, with the women being paced at sub-4:30 pace.
Wigfield, 24, said: “I pushed down and got to the corner and saw the clock and was like, ‘I want to break four’, as I’ve never broken four before on the track or road. I just about managed to do it, so I am happy.
“As soon as I got round the corner, I heard the commentator say, ‘It could be on’, so I was like I’m just going to have to go.
“It is good history, the four-minute mile, and everyone wants to try and break that to be part of the club so it is really good to be able to go and do that on the road. There is a little difference between track and road, so I am really happy.”
Snowden added: “I really enjoyed it! I haven’t done a road mile since New York last year and haven’t done this one [Vitality Westminster Mile] since I think 2017, so I wanted to run quicker than I did back then and sub-4:30."
It is just the 21st time the mark set by Sir Roger Bannister in 1954 has been achieved on a road course, but the first at the world’s most iconic Mile event, around St James’s Park. The closest runners had previously come at the Vitality Westminster Mile was Chris O’Hare’s 4:00 in 2021.
Wigfield and Snowden take home the prize money of £1,000 each, with the second and third-place finishers each winning £500 and £250 respectively.
The BMC Bannister Mile wrapped up a fantastic day in central London, with almost 5,000 completing the Vitality Westminster Mile – with miles for all ages and abilities, including families, adults and veterans, juniors, and wheelchair users.