Bannister starts 10k (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Bannister starts 10k

10:50am Friday 25th June 2004

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Athletics legend Sir Roger Bannister sent thousands of runners on their way in the Chris Brasher Memorial 10km road race in Richmond Park on Sunday, writes Tom Pollak.

Brasher, who died last year after a long battle against cancer, was one of two pacemakers who helped Bannister to clock break the four-minute mile in 1954.

The cold, blustery and overcast conditions must have reminded Sir Roger of the conditions on the morning of his historic run.

And among the runners under starters' orders was Chris Chataway, the other pacemaker in that famous one-mile race at Oxford. Chataway, now 73, covered the 10km course alongside his Thames Hare & Hounds clubmate John Bryant in a very respectable 49:08.

At the sharp end of the race, Belgrave's Hassan Raidi made short shrift of the opposition and went to the front in the first mile after negotiating the testing uphill stretch towards Richmond Gate.

He reached the finish near Roehampton Gate in 31:42, well outside his best 10km time of 28:45. His Belgrave Harriers clubmate Will Cockerell was runner-up 22 seconds later, with Ian Harkness of Thames Hare & Hounds third in 32:15.

Thames Hare & Hounds captain Dave Symons was sixth in 33:48 and there was then a long gap before Belgrave's Tom Hadfield finished in 34:55.

The first woman was Thames Hare & Hounds' Lucy Hasell, in her first race since the London Marathon in April. She finished eighth overall in 35:09 and was just one second outside her best time for the distance.

The race raised funds to preserve Petersham Meadows, made famous by Turner's painting of the River Thames from Richmond Hill.

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