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Track where Sir Roger Bannister trained to be reopened

Roger Bannister is chaired by fellow medical students at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London after he had set his all-time record Credit: PA/PA Archive

A new athletics track at Paddington Recreation Ground is to be opened today, the site where Roger Bannister trained to break the four-minute mile. The project, which aims to leave a lasting legacy for the Olympic Games, is backed by double gold medalist Mo Farah.

Sir Roger Bannister trained at the former track in Paddington before travelling to Oxford to break the record in 1954.

Farah said that getting a new running track in Central London was great news for athletes of the future.

£130,000 for the project has come from the Marathon Trust and another £44,000 from The London Mayors Legacy Fund with the remaining funding being met by Westminster City Council.

Cllr Steve Summers, deputy cabinet member for Olympics, sport and leisure, said they hope that hundreds of people will be inspired to take up track and field sports and maybe even go on to represent the UK in Olympics around the world.