Record-breakers! Ben sets new T20 World mark at 1500m and Sarah rewrites Scottish steeplechase best (again)

Sunday 10th August 2025

Photos by Bobby Gavin and Gary Mitchell

Ben Sandilands has clocked a new World Record for T320 1500m – and Sarah Tait has yet another new Scottish Record to her name in the steeplechase.

Ben, the Paralympic champion from Fife AC, clocked 3:44.90 (second in the B race) and that is a new T20 World Record.

He is currently preparing to defend his T20 1500m title at the World Para Champs in India in September.

Well done to Ben, his family, coach Steve Doig and all at Fife AC.

Sarah has clocked another new Scottish Record in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase.

And a place in the GB and NI team for the World champs in Tokyo is looking ever more likely for the Lasswade AC athlete.

Sarah raced in Belgium on Saturday evening and posted 9:18.66 to strip yet more time off the Record she set when winning silver at the UK Champs the previous weekend.

That time is well inside the 9:22.50 ‘consideration standard’ set by UK Athletics for the Worlds. Selection for Sarah should now depend on her global ranking and close observers suggest that her position will be strong enough for GB and NI.

At the same meet, Sarah Calvert followed up her UK Champs shock gold medal with a new 1500m PB run. The Livingston athlete took her time to 4:04.33 to continue this season’s improvement.

Cameron Boyek was also on the 1500m PB train.

In the BMC meet in Manchester, he clocked 3:35.51 and now moves above Frank Clement on the Scottish all-time list.

*Andy Butchart made a return from injury after a long spell of rehab. The double Olympian was at 13:37.49 over 5000m for a very solid comeback race (just a fraction outside the Glasgow 2026 standard for 5000m).

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Tags: Andy Butchart, Ben Sandilands, Cameron Boyek, Sarah Calvert, Sarah Tait