Centurion - In celebration of Global Running Day on Wednesday, Under Armour hosted the UA All Out Mile grand finale event which saw hundreds of athletes including elite athletes, novice runners, top club runners and the general public going all out to take on the ‘1 Mile Run’ around the iconic Green Point Athletics Track in Cape Town.
For the second consecutive year Under Armour hosted its popular Global All Out Mile campaign, where runners from across the world have been lacing up and training to record their personal best 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, four athletes managed to break the sub-four minute barrier with Justin Kemboi from Kenya crossing the finish line with a time of 3:59.02 to take top prize as the winner in the men’s elite category.
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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 metres and the marathon is still widely considered one of the most iconic distances and the pinnacle of athletic excellence.
The first sub-four-minute mile was achieved in 1954 by Roger Bannister. His time of 3:59.4 has since been broken by over 1600 athletes worldwide.
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.
Top four elite men results: 1 Justin Kemboi 3:59.02, 2 Matthew Kipsang 3:59.02, 3 Ashley Smith 3:59.86, 4 Christopher Swart 3:59.98.
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