Monument Mile reflections: Andy praise, Arnold context, role model Laura

Tuesday 27th August 2024

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Track of Dreams: Stirling event delivers fast mile times as Andrew, Kane run sub 3:57

Double Olympian Andy Butchart has praised Monument Mile Classic event organiser, Michael Wright, for creating a world class event in Stirling.

Local hero Butchart, who will soon continue his return from injury, was at the University of Stirling track he knows so well to watch Saturday’s event.

There were PB performances throughout the day culminating in Meeting Record performances from American winners Taryn Rawlings and Cooper Teare in the top two elite races.

The top three Men and Women shared £3000 in prize money and athletes in all races savoured the ‘Bring the Flames’ approach Michael has developed with the event now in a seventh year.

Come Monday and champagne and chocolates were sent out to the Officials on duty, too, as a ‘Thank You’ in a great gesture from the event organisers.

‘Michael has done a great job with the Monument Mile Classic, working so hard to attract athletes from around the world to a race in Scotland.

‘Cooper Teare has come over from the States and run 3:53 which is incredible and great to watch.

‘I’m sure that will help in terms of others coming in the future.

‘I think there were around 30 in total and almost 400 athletes taking on the mile distance. It has become a family day out from late afternoon and then the anticipation builds up through to the elite races.

‘It’s a winning formula and at the end you have a world class race right here in Scotland.

‘I think it is fantastic to have that in Stirling and great to see so many people at the University track. And, of course, you have so many people running PB times for the mile.’

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If watching top class athletes from only a few metres away was exciting, then so was the realisation that two Scots had broken 3:57 for the mile.

Andrew McGill clocked 3:55.89 and Kane Elliott was at 3:56.11 as both posted big PB performances.

We asked scottishathletics Historian, Arnold Black, for context and he revealed it is almost 40 years since two Scots went sub four minutes for the mile in the same race in Scoltland.

Arnold said:

‘Prior to the Monument Mile Classic, only 12 Scots had broken four minutes for the mile in races staged in Scotland.

‘The last time two did it in the same race was at the Dairy Crest Games at Meadowbank on 23…