Former Harrogate pupil George Mills has run the third fastest time ever by a British athlete in the United States.

Competing in the final of the prestigious Diamond League in Oregon on Saturday, he finished in 3 minutes 47.65 seconds.

Not only was it a personal best, it was the fastest run by a British miler since 1985. Only Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe have ever beaten it.

Mills’ performance was hailed as “absolutely astonishing” by track and field website Athletics Weekly but remarkably he only finished third behind Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Mills told his Instagram followers:

“3.47 for the mile and third in the Diamond League final to close out the season

“it’s been a busy last three weeks but I’m pretty happy with the series of races I’ve managed to put together.”

Dad Danny, the former England footballer who lives in Harrogate, replied:

“Huge progress! So proud of how hard you work, how dedicated you are! Enjoy It – you’ll be back to work soon.”

It was Mills’ third sub 3 minute 50 second mile in succession as he ended the season in superb form.

British middle distance running is exceptionally strong at the moment and Mills will hope to join the likes of countrymen and world champions Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr at next year’s Olympics in Paris.

Mills attended Ashville College, Brackenfield School and St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate but spends most of the year abroad now, training and competing.

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Harrogate is home to one of Britain’s most famous sporting dynasties — the Mills family.

Dad Danny played football for England and Leeds and while his 19-year-old son Stanley is forging a career with Everton, 23-year-old son George is making a name as an international middle distance runner.

George was 1,500 metre British champion in 2020 and has realistic ambitions of representing the UK at the World Championships in Budapest this year and at the Olympics in Paris next year.

Like most international athletes he lives a nomadic life, spending winter training in South Africa and then alternating between there, Leipzig in Germany and St Moritz in Switzerland during the summer race season.

Training in St Moritz

But his roots are firmly in Harrogate, having lived in the town for most of his childhood when he attended Ashville College, Brackenfield School and St Aidan’s Church of England High School. His youngest brother is still at St Aidan’s. George says:

“St Aidan’s is where I got properly into running. I was in Year 7 and I went to a lunchtime cross-country club every week. I started doing local school races and joined Harrogate Harriers when I was 12 or 13 where I had my first proper coach.”

Under Jo Day’s guidance at Harrogate Harriers, he improved rapidly and became under-18 European 800 metres champion at the age of 17 by running a remarkable 1 minute 48.36 seconds.

Jo recalls:

“Everything I asked George to do he did. I had to pull the reins in on him at times because he wanted to work so hard.

“He was incredibly focused. If you are going to do something in the Mills family, you do it 110%!”

George in a Harrogate Harriers shirt with coach Jo Day

In September 2017 George moved to Brighton to attend university and transferred to Brighton Phoenix, the club 1980 Olympic 800 metres champion Steve Ovett ran for. But injuries kept him off the track for three frustrating years.

He bounced back in 2020 to win British indoor and outdoor titles at 1,500 metres — the distance he now focuses on.

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But international athletics is a brutal and unforgiving sport. His senior British debut at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade last year turned into an “absolute disaster” when he thought he’d recovered from a bug only to fade to seventh in his heat.

He was then tripped in his second senior international appearance at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul this month.

George, however, doesn’t dwell on these disappointments. He says:

“You learn to roll with it. There’s always setbacks in sport. It’s how you deal with them that counts.”

Instead he is focusing on doing everything he can to have the best chance of success in the 18-month run-up to the Olympics. And we mean everything: he runs up to 180 kilometres a week in training, which even by the standards of the Mills family, where everybody exercises at least five times a week, is extreme. He jokes:

“They think I’m a bit of a weirdo because it’s so time consuming.”

Parental support

His parents are, however, totally behind him and occasionally watch him race. George, who is now a member of On Athletics Club Europe’s elite team of young runners, says:

“Having a dad from a high level sporting background was positive. He taught me about discipline and training — how I have to eat, sleep and train right and recover right. Being a professional sportsman is a 24/7 thing.”

Running may have usurped football but the bond remains strong. He grew up kicking a ball and admits he was “an absolute glory hunter as a kid” who supported Chelsea but now just supports his brother, who made his Everton debut last year.

George runs up to 180km a week

Athletes may be the financial poor relations to footballers but the route to the top is every bit as hard.

British middle distance is currently the strongest it’s been since the 1980s golden era of Ovett, Coe and Cram so even qualifying for major championships is tough.

George, however, is up for the challenge of being an Olympian in 2024.

“The level is incredible at the moment but if I said to you ‘I don’t believe I will make it’, I would be lying. It’s my sole focus. Paris next year is the big goal. But it’s way easier said than done.”

One thing is for sure, he won’t shirk the challenge.

“I’m very much a believer in mindset and the people you surround yourself with. Success breeds success.”

A 20-year-old Harrogate athlete is set to compete at the World Para Powerlifting this weekend when she has the chance to earn a place at the Commonwealth Games.

Charlotte McGuinness is lifting in the women up to 50kg category at the event in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi today and tomorrow.

While she is still unable to bring anyone with her due to coronavirus restrictions, her supporters are able to watch the competition on the Paralympic Games YouTube channel.

She studies Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds Trinity University but Charlotte is from and lives in Harrogate and is proud to represent her home town.

Her passion for the sport began while studying at St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate.

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Earlier this year we reported on how she won a bronze medal for Team GB at the Para Powerlifting World Cup in March.

That success in Manchester combined with a good result this weekend in Georgia would give Charlotte a good chance at qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year.

She told the Stray Ferret ahead of the big day:

“It would be amazing because it’s a home Commonwealth Games, so that is my main aim.

“To be able to be one of the paralympic representatives of the town is cool. I am proud to fly the flag for Harrogate.

“I have had a couple of international experiences so I know what to expect now. With the event over two days recovery will be important. But I feel well prepared.”

A 19-year-old from Harrogate has won a bronze medal for Team GB at the Para Powerlifting World Cup.

Charlotte McGuiness was third in the women’s up to 50kg category with a bench press of 74kg.

The sports and exercise student’s performance has increased her chances of competing in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.

Charlotte, who studies at Leeds Trinity University, said her passion for the sport began while studying at St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate.

The event took place at the Wythenshawe Forum in Manchester without spectators and with covid measures in place over the weekend.

There were five competitors in the event. Besides Charlotte, there were lifters from Britain, Spain, Ukraine and Japan.

Charlotte on the podium after receiving her bronze medal.

Charlotte trains four times a week, focusing on university work in the mornings. Due to lockdown she has had to setup a gym in her Harrogate home but continues to her sights high.

Charlotte now has her sights set on the World Powerlifting Championships in November.

She said:

“I was shocked when I won my medal, I only started two years ago and I’ve gone so far. It’s motivated me to keep going. The Paris Olympics are in three years time and that would be a dream,”

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Sarah Todd, sports development manager at Leeds Trinity University, said:

“I could not be prouder of Charlotte, to achieve a bronze medal at the World Cup at 19-years-old is incredible.

“She works so hard and is such a determined and focused young woman in her sport and her studies, so it is fantastic to see the hard work pay off with a medal.”