6th May 2026

Laura Muir wins the Millicent Fawcett Mile

Laura Muir wins the Millicent Fawcett Mile and Freddie Rowe sets the third fastest British U18 mile ever

Oxford hosted on 4th May the third annual Bannister Miles Celebration with a record number of runners. 264 athletes from across the UK raced in one of 25 one-mile track races, with Olympic Silver medallist and national record holder, Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill, Laura Weightman) taking the win in the Millicent Fawcett Mile.

The event was run in tandem with the British Milers’ Club, who have faithfully promoted competition at this distance for 63 years. The calm weather proved perfect for fast times, with a PB rate of 79% across the races. The women’s elite race, this year the UKA’s Millicent Fawcett Mile, was won by Laura Muir in a time of 4:34.05. She was followed by Keira Brady-Jones (Wirral AC, Kyle Bennett) 4:43.57 and Oxford University Cross Country Club (OUCCC) athlete, Charlotte Buckle (Thames Valley Harriers, Matthew Seddon) 4:43.85.

In the men’s elite race, 17-year-old Freddie Rowe (Havering AC, Patrick Gahagan) timed his kick down the final 100m to become the youngest winner of the Bannister Mile in a time of 4:00.88. This places him 3rd all time for British U18 athletes, behind Steve Ovett and Steve Cram. Rounding out the top three were Ethan Newell (Sutton & District AC, Nick Hancock) 4:01.29 and Jack Kavanagh (Holland Sports AC, Neil Danby) 4:01.44.

There was also a V50 British Record for Dean Richardson (City of Stoke AC, Kevin Hendricken) with a time of 4:26.97.

Thomas Renshaw, event organizer from the university’s cross-country club said:

“We are proud to be putting on an event that brings in elite-level athletes from across the country, from junior athletes right through to senior Olympic medallists. We hope that this, combined with the Community Mile, is a fulfilling celebration of Sir Roger Bannister’s life. A man who was an academic and elite athlete who recognised the benefit that sport could bring to communities across the country.”

Full Results:

https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2026/GBR/ifm/