What Is The Commonwealth Mile? The Iconic Race Returning To CWG After 60 Years

The Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow will bring back one of athletics' most iconic races with the return of the Commonwealth Mile after a 60-year absence.

The event, which will be contested over 1,609 metres, replaces the traditional 1500m in both the men's and women's athletics programme. It marks the first time the mile has featured at the Commonwealth Games since 1966, when the competition switched to metric distances in line with the Olympic programme.

The race is expected to be one of the highlights of the athletics competition, with Scotland's Josh Kerr and Kenya's Faith Kipyegon likely to headline the field. Kerr recently set the men's one-mile world record, while Kipyegon is the women's world record holder over the distance.

Both the men's and women's Commonwealth Mile finals are scheduled to take place on August 1 during the Glasgow Games, which run from July 23 to August 2.

What Is The Commonwealth Mile?

The Commonwealth Mile is a one-mile (1,609m) track race that was once one of the signature events of the Commonwealth Games. It featured at every edition of the Games from 1930 until 1966 before being dropped in favour of the 1500m as athletics adopted metric distances.

Its return in Glasgow 2026 is aimed at celebrating one of the sport's most historic events while reviving a race closely associated with the Commonwealth Games. The mile also remains unique in athletics as the only non-metric distance for which World Athletics officially recognises world records.

Welcoming the decision, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said, "The one mile is the quintessential Commonwealth athletics event whose return to the Games in Glasgow 2026 I very much welcome. The mile is easy to understand. It is four laps of the track and remains a standard everyday measurement across the Commonwealth."

Commonwealth Games 2026 Schedule

What Is The History Behind The Commonwealth Mile?

The Commonwealth Mile is best remembered for producing one of the greatest races in athletics history, the famous "Miracle Mile" at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver.

The race brought together England's Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy, who were the only two athletes in the world to have broken the four-minute mile barrier at the time. Bannister won the memorable contest in 3:58.8, with Landy finishing second in 3:59.6, creating one of the sport's most enduring moments.

The 2026 edition has been introduced as a tribute to that historic race and the rich legacy of the mile at the Commonwealth Games. While the men's event returns after six decades, the women will contest the Commonwealth Mile for the first time, adding a new chapter to the event's history.

Even though Glasgow is hosting a scaled-down Commonwealth Games with only 10 core sports after replacing Victoria as the host, the revival of the Commonwealth Mile is expected to be one of the competition's biggest attractions.