Angela Copson could break a UK record as the Vitality Westminster Mile incorporates the British Masters Championships

While the major attention will be on the senior performances by the likes of Laura Muir and Chris O’Hare, Sunday’s Vitality Westminster Mile also holds the British Masters Championships and there are separate men’s and women’s masters races with a record entry of 278 runners.

The British Masters Athletic Federation (BMAF) only recently set up record times over the road mile and there should be a number of UK records at Westminster.

The main men’s race should be competitive but there is little chance of records given the previous fast quality runs of James Thie and Anthony Whiteman.

A time of 4:30 is likely with M35 Andy Graham, M40s Mick Hill, Mark Wynne and Craig Sharp and M45 Simon Coombes all capable of that sort of time on their best track form.

Also likely to be close to the front is world masters indoor 800m and 1500m champion Mark Symes and the UK M50 record looks on borrowed time with Andrew Haines also capable of bettering the 4:44 mark.

The M55 race looks competitive with little between Rob Andrew, Chris Ireland, Tony Tuohy and Anthony Roper.

One other men’s record in danger is the M65 mark with Nigel Gates, who set an indoor 3000m mark in winning the British title in the winter, though the 800m and 1500m champions Kevin Archer and Dave Bedwell are also capable of records if Gates falters.

The women’s race is likely to see a battle between last year’s winner Charlene Jacobs-Conradie and world masters indoor 1500m and 3000m champion Zoe Doyle.

One interesting entry is Olympic marathoner Alyson Dixon who hopes for a time of around five minutes but is not known for her speed and is making a step up to ultra running.

Last year, Clare Elms was only a fraction behind Jacobs-Conradie in setting a W50 record and the W55 mark should be well within her range this time.

The most sure fire record though will be in the W70 category as Angela Copson (pictured) could take close to a minute off the current record and she will be a huge favourite for the overall age-grading award given to the top male or female.

Other favourites include M60 Alastair Walker, M85 Richard Pitcairn-Knowles, W50 Sue McDonald, W60 Anna Garnier and W65 Ros Tabor.

Full details of the results of these races will be given on the AW website and in the magazine.

Men’s UK road mile records
M35 James Thie 4:09 Cardiff 24.5.14
M40 Anthony Whiteman 4:08 London 24.5.15
M45 Anthony Whiteman 4:08 London 28.5.17
M50 Andrew Ridley 4:44 Cardiff 3.10.15
M55 John Thomson 4:48 Markinch 6.5.14
M60 Martin Rees 5:00 Cardiff 2.5.14
M65 Peter Molloy 5:27 Cardiff 4.10.14
M70 Brian James 5:47 Ealing 2.6.17
M75 Victor Shirley 6:16 Scunthorpe 17.8.18
M80 Edmond Simpson 7:38 Cardiff 30.9.17
M85 Eric Shirley 9:29 London 29.5.16

Women’s UK road mile records
W35 Helen Clitheroe 4:39 Newcastle 18.9.10
W40 Helen Clitheroe 4:35 London 24.5.14
W45 Clare Elms 5:00 Battersea 20.6.10
W50 Clare Elms 5:16 London 27.5.18   (chip time 5:13
W55 Jane Clarke 5:38 London 14.6.15
W60 Breege Nordin 6:06 London 19.6.16
W65 Ros Tabor 6:15 London 24.5.15
W70 Patricia Gallagher 7:31 Cardiff 1.10.16
W75 Anne Martin 7:39 Cardiff 4.10.14
W80 Ruth Anderson 10:16 South Shields 3.11.15