•  Global stars set to compete in the 1 mile spectacle at Müller Anniversary Games
• Home-interest athletes include Jake Wightman, Charlie Da’Vall Grice and Chris O’Hare
• International firepower led by world record holder Samuel Tefera (ETH) among others
• Tickets available via https://www.theticketfactory.com/british-athletics/online/

Leading middle-distance running stars have today been confirmed for the Emsley Carr Mile race which will take place at this year’s Müller Anniversary Games.

The competitive field will not only include nine British runners for the London Stadium crowd to get behind but will also feature 1500m indoor world record holder Samuel Tefera (ETH), London 2017 bronze medallist Filip Ingebrigsten (NOR), double Olympic medallist Nick Willis (NZL) and European and Commonwealth bronze medallist Jake Wightman (GBR, coach: Geoff Wightman club: Edinburgh AC).

Founded in 1953, The Emsley Carr Mile is one of the most famous races in the history of athletics with some of the world’s leading runners claiming the title including Lord Sebastian Coe (GBR), Steve Ovett (GBR), Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) and Bernard Lagat (USA).

The iconic race, which was inaugurated in the memory of former News of the World editor Sir Emsley Carr, was last won by a British athlete in 2017 when Jake Wightman claimed the title with a time of 3:54.92.

Wightman, 24, who won both European and Commonwealth 1500m bronze last year, has been confirmed as one of the leading Brits in the field for the Emsley Carr Mile at this year’s Müller Anniversary Games.

One of the highlights of the distance running calendar also takes place tonight in Highgate at the Night of the 10,000m PBS event, where Wightman will be supporting the event by taking over British Athletics’ social media channels.

Edinburgh AC athlete Wightman said:

“This is a really special night in the calendar at the Night of the 10,000m and I’m excited to be there in person to be able to take over British Athletics’ social media to help be a part of this great event.

“There will be a massive crowd at Parliament Hill tonight for the Night of the 10,000m for real quality athletics in London, and for me I know that my big night in London comes in a couple of weeks’ time when I’ll race in at the Müller Anniversary Games in The Emsley Carr Mile.

I was buzzing to win the event in 2017 and it had real significance in my confidence and development the following year. On top of that, I know from experience that the support I will receive at the London Stadium is like nothing else, so I’m sure it make all the difference as I take on a world class field.”

IAAF President and previous winner of The Emsley Carr Mile, Lord Sebastian Coe said:

“I have fond memories of running in and watching The Emsley Carr Mile.  In fact winning it in 1977, beating Filbert Bayi of Tanzania put me on the back pages of the UK national newspapers for the first time.  It is one of those must-not-miss running events that attracts audiences from across the world.

“Previous editions of The Emsley Carr Mile have seen some of the biggest names in global athletics compete – and claim the title – and this year looks set to continue that trend as the world’s most iconic middle-distance race comes to the London Stadium.”

The Müller Anniversary Games takes place just ten weeks before the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

The two-day Diamond League event has seen history made on numerous occasions in recent years, with some memorable performances from British names such as Sir Mo Farah, Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith, while para athletics stars Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn both broke world records at the 2018 edition of the event.

Tickets for the Müller Anniversary Games are on sale at www.theticketfactory.com/british-athletics