In celebration of Global Running Day, Under Armour (AU) hosted the All Out MILE grand finale with hundreds of athletes, including elite, novice, top club runners, celebs, sports personalities and the general public taking part in the ‘1 Mile Run’ around the iconic Green Point Athletics Track on Wednesday night.
For the second consecutive year the organisers hosted the popular global All Out Mile campaign, where runners from across the world have been lacing up and training to record their PB over the iconic 1 mile (1,6 km) distance.
The campaign kicked off in May and concluded on Global Running Day with 14 events hosted in key territories across the Globe with Cape Town playing host to the South African leg.
With an impressive exhibition of running on display, a total of four elites athletes managed to break the sub-4 minute barrier with Kenyan Justin Kemboi crossing the finish line with a time of 03:59.02 to take top prize as the winner in the Men’s Elite category.
South African favourite, Prudence Sekgodiso, 20, blistered through the field to secure bragging rights as the fastest in the Women’s Elite race with a time of 04:43.17. Other notable runners on the night included: Blitzbokke Captain Shakes Siviwe Soyizwapi, South African professional boxer and IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena as well as Stormers outside centre Ruhan Nel.
The Mile, much like the 100 meters and the marathon is still widely considered one of the most iconic distances and the pinnacle of athletic excellence. The first sub-4-minute mile was smashed in 1954 by Roger Bannister. His time of 3:59.4 has since been broken by over 1600 athletes worldwide.
Two unmatched records still stand today in the ladies’ and men’s categories. The men’s world record stands at 3:43.13, set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999 while the women’s record sits at 4:12.33 held by Olympic sensation Sifan Hassan, set in July 2019.
However, the mile isn’t only for a ‘pro’ or Olympic athlete, it’s the ideal fitness distance for runners looking to test their speed and endurance, regardless of age or ability. UA recognised the massive appeal that the distance holds and wanted to create a campaign that would challenge runners and encourage them to reach their best.
Commenting on a very successful event, UA South Africa MD Darren Cooke says, “It has been amazing to see the ALL-OUT MILE campaign come to life, particularly here in SA.
Those in attendance were treated to a superb display of running with many setting new PB’s. It has been an honour to host some of the top elite middle-distance runners and at the same time bringing the local running community together.
UA is dedicated to helping athletes, both pro and amateur, to continuously assess and improve their performance and this was achieved with the ALL-OUT MILE campaign.”
“One of the highlights of the evening was definitely the spectacular Elite men’s race, culminating in four world class performances by 4 athletes running the mile in under 4 minutes. What an absolute privilege to bear witness to an incredible feat.” concludes Cooke.
Top 4 Male Elite Runners:
- Justin Kemboi – 03:59.02
- Matthew Kipsang – 03:59.02
- Ashley Smith – 03:59.86
- Christopher Swart – 03:59.98
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