The new Paralympic T20 and World 1500m champion on his training regime, Paris 2024 and his incredible season so far
Fife AC’s Ben Sandilands – world 1500m champion in Paris 2023 (Intellectual Disability T20 category) – talks about the training program that helped him win Paralympic gold in the French capital.
Sandilands set a new world record of 3:45.40 at the Stade de France, beating American Mikey Brannigan’s 3:45.50 to top the podium.
The 21-year-old had a lifetime best of 3:47.02 and before Paris 2024 won the 1500m ambulance at the London Athletics meeting in July. His best mile of 4:06.02 was the fifth fastest in Scotland in 2023, while his 3000m PB (8:11.80) places him in the top 20 in Scotland to date.
Sandilands is coached by Steve Doig and trains in the mixed ability group alongside Great Britain’s Owen Miller, the reigning Paralympic T20 1500m champion, and Stephen Bryce, his T20 1500m team-mate at the World Athletics Championships in Paris.
“Owen is definitely an inspiration and is really positive (about the Paralympics), as is Stephen,” said Sandilands, who first joined Doig’s group at Fife AC aged nine.
“Owen has always been there,” adds Sandilands’ mum Claire. “I think he’s a lot like Ben and he’s just been told to enjoy the experience and treat the race like everyone else.”
Ben Sandilands (Getty)
Athletes in the T20 category can struggle to grasp information, especially in a competitive environment and for Sandilands, that can mean difficulty remembering race instructions, the pace or perhaps even how far he runs.
Track laps are, in theory, easier to calculate, but Sandilands’ talent is not limited to the 1500m. In March he ran the second fastest short leg overall as Fife AC finished fifth in the Scottish National Road Relay and in May he was third in the Scottish 5km Road Championships in 14:25 (his 5km PB is 14:17 in 2024 from April. and ranks him 12th fastest in Scotland this year).
He has previously represented Scotland in cross-country. In fact, when he made his Antrim International Cross Country debut in January 2018, he made family history.
More than 100 years earlier, his great, great grandfather, George Sandilands, had also earned his first Scotland vest by finishing fourth in the 100 yards in the 1910 Scotland v Ireland International Athletics Championships at Ibrox Park in Glasgow.
“I didn’t know about my great, great grandfather until my Pops gave me his 1910. the Scots cap in Ireland after making my debut for Scotland,” he says. “I’m very proud to have it.”
Now forging his own path, Ben Sandilands is inspired by the incredible athletic achievements of family, friends and teammates.
Josh Kerr (Getty)
“It was great watching Josh (Carey) and Laura (Muir) at the Olympics,” he says. “We trained early on the night of Josh’s 1500m final so we could watch it together on the track and it was really exciting. I saw Laura’s race at home and was so pleased she got a PB. I also enjoy watching the Six Nations rugby at the Stade de France.”
As Sandilands moved up through the age groups, he added a second session on Thursday and increased the length of his usual Sunday run. In recent months, he has also introduced gym work and water running.
“He loves both,” says his mother. “Sometimes she gets so tired she struggles to get out of the pool, but luckily the pool staff, including her sister Cathy who works there as a lifeguard, are great and very understanding.”
His easy runs are done by time rather than distance.
“There’s really no need to adjust the sessions (for Ben) because we’ve benefited from having some great core athletes in the group who have taken on the burden of upping the tempo,” explains coach Doig. “The support provided by the other athletes in the group has been instrumental in the success they have had in building T20 athletes and I am extremely grateful to all the athletes who have contributed along the way.”
Ben Sandilands (Getty)
A typical school week
Monday. day off
Tuesday. (am) 30 minutes of easy jogging; (pm) running session eg 10 min tempo – 1200m/1000m/800m/800m (200m recovery after reps/400m recovery after last rep) – 4 x 500m (200m recovery every 500m/ 400m recovery after last run) – 4 x 4mm (150m every 250m/400m recovery after final run) – 6 min pace
Wednesday. 45 minutes of easy running
Thursday. (am) 30 minutes of easy jogging; (pm) track session
Friday 30-45 minutes of easy running
Saturday. track session eg 10 min tempo – 5 x 800m (100m recovery after reps/800m recovery after final run) – 3 x 500m (300m/200m differential, 800m recovery) – 6min tempo
Sunday. 90 minutes approx.
Favorite session: “I enjoy trail riding with the group because I love the social aspect of training as well as the hard work. I also like running the 200m because I can run fast on the incline and it feels good.”
Least favorite session. “There are grass rings in the garden, especially if I’m alone.”
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