Seb Coe returns to racing with GB Olympians at the Olympians Mile

5 | 5 | 2017

British double Olympic Champion Seb Coe, President of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), will return to racing in the Olympians Mile on 28 May. This race forms as part of London’s famous Vitality Westminster Mile event.

Coe, a former world record holder who won Olympic gold in the 1,500m and silver in the 800m at both 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games, will join fellow Olympians taking part in the biggest festival of mile running in the world.

Each year the British Olympians Association, GB Olympians, encourages Olympians to take part in the Olympians Mile which starts on The Mall and finishes in front of London’s iconic Buckingham Palace. Lining up on the start line alongside Coe this year will be more than 100 Olympians including ice dance legend Jayne Torvill, rowing gold medallist Greg Searle and five-time Olympian Jo Pavey.

There’s still time to sign up and take part - entries close at 17:00 GMT on Monday 8 May. To find out more and enter visit: www.vitalitywestminstermile.co.uk

Ahead of the festival, Coe visited a local school in London to meet children who will be participating in the event. The children of Hallfield School in Westminster have been taking part in ‘The Daily Mile’ initiative, which encourages them to go outside every school day, whatever the weather, to run, jog and walk for 15 minutes as part of a healthy and active lifestyle.

“It’s fantastic to see these children so excited about taking part in the Vitality Westminster Mile,” said Seb Coe. “The London 2012 Olympic Games aimed to inspire a generation and this event, created in 2013 as an Olympic legacy event, is doing just that.”

The Daily Mile initiative, which was created by former primary school headteacher Elaine Wyllie at her school in Scotland, is now being rolled out nationwide. Schools across London are currently participating in the scheme and The Daily Mile London wave on Sunday 28 May will feature children from every London Borough.

Image credit: Getty Images