Masters dominate the Ayo Falola Dream Mile in north London as the main race sees history made.
The Ayo Falola Dream Mile in Lee Valley on Wednesday (February 4) secured two world records and a further four British records, while an additional four British athletes broke the sub-four-minute mile mark for the first time in a UK indoor race. Steve Smith reports.
Andrew Ridley broke his own world record in the M60 mile in 4:44.12 and Claire Elms reclaimed her W60 world mark with a time of 5:25.07.
British scores were set by M35 Harry Wakefield (3:59.07), M50 Kojo Kyereme (4:26.62), M80 Peter Giles (6:48.50) and U15 Maddison Kindler (4:51.34).
The best and fastest mile came in the men’s A race at Wakefield with Jack Higgins (3:56.89) edging out speedy twin brother Ted (3:57.05).
Elms, the British Masters’ most prolific middle-distance record holder ever (with 27 current British bests and 10 world marks), set a world record of over 60 at this meeting two years ago in 5:30.89, although that record was broken a few days later by the previous record holder and her good friend, American Sue MacDonald (5:73).
That record stood until November 2024, when Ireland’s world champion Anne Gilshinan (5:27.66) won, then age group newcomer and multiple US Olympian and W55 world champion Michelle Rolle (5:26.65) in January this year.
Elms beat Rolle’s 3000m W60 world record in Cardiff on the same day that Rolle set his mile mark and in fine form for only his second indoor race of the winter, he targeted the American’s mark with an even run. He did it with four quarters all around 81 seconds after coming up a few seconds short of Rolle’s half time.
It was also the fastest mile by a 62-year-old or older, indoors or outdoors, and was already the outdoor W60 world record holder in the 1500m (4:56.85) and the mile (5:18.97). the timetable for when it should be formally ratified.
As he was alone for most of the race and ran conservatively, Elms is confident he can go much faster, but may need to take into account the large number of middle distance records in the age group in recent years.
The Elms race was won by W40 Laura Haggart in 5:04.54 after a brave effort from the Scot to beat the British best of 4:58.81 recently set by multiple world champion Ellie Stevens.
Despite an elderly Elms, European medalist Niki Sturzaker topped the W50 world rankings for 2026 with 5:30.44.
Ridley, the world and European outdoor champion, improved her own world mark from last year to go along with the world outdoor marks in the 1500m (4:21.21) and the mile (4:41.81).
Having already set the 800m record this winter, he was looking forward to facing off against arch-rival Rob McHarg, who had beaten him in the 1500m world record at the British Championships last winter. However, the Scot was unable to compete and instead Ridley stayed behind M55 world champion Mark Symes to pass in just under 2:20 and looked strong and determined.
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Symes was aiming for his own world mark, chasing Tony O’Brien’s 4:38.10 in December, as O’Brien had to watch the race after suffering an injury while warming up.
Symes kicked hard over the final two laps, but needed more help and was just under three seconds behind in 4:41.05.
Three seconds later, Ridley ran a time of 4:44.12 to take a second off her mark, which broke McGharg’s record set in the previous race last year.
Wakefield (above, red vest) finished fourth behind the Higgins twins, who kept up their sensational winter form, and Joe Tuffin (3:59.06), but more importantly he also broke four minutes, his 3:59.17 nearly 10 seconds off Dave Proctor’s 45s to add to his age group record.
World indoor champion Kyerem knocked five seconds off European champion Dean Richardson’s one-month mark to finish second in race C in 4:26.62.
The mark was just three seconds shy of Shaun Wade’s 10-year-old world mark, and Kyerem could have benefited more from the pace as he went to the front much earlier than planned, but he took the final lap and eclipsed the previous British best.
Although Peter Giles established the most significant margin for the British record when his 6:48.50 bettered Doug Milsom’s previous M80 by almost a minute.
But to finish almost a minute behind his much younger rivals and after a very fast start, professional musician Giles fell just six seconds short of the world record as he added to his long list of achievements since turning 80. It was his first chance to run an indoor mile since joining the M80 ranks.
Although most of the focus was on older athletes. the two world record races were held immediately after the senior A races and before the BMC 800m program, there was also an outstanding junior race.
Madison Kindler, who has dominated cross-country this winter, including a big win at the South of England Championships, finished well in the women’s B race and her time of 4:51.34 narrowly beat Sheikira King’s mark set four years ago.
The women’s A race was clearly won by Molly Hudson (4:32.36) ahead of Saskia Millard (4:43.81) and the time was a record.
BMC’s pick of the race after the mile was the women’s A race, with Abigail Ives (2:02.07) leading under-20s Laila Belshaw (2:04.85).
