Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman are expected to be central contenders in Saturday’s Commonwealth Games men’s mile final at Scotstoun, where both Scots will seek a home gold medal. The race matters because the mile has been restored to the Games programme for the first time since 1966, adding historical significance to a contest between two former world champions and childhood friends from Edinburgh.

Kerr recently set the mile world record at 3:42.66 and progressed comfortably from his heat, while Wightman was narrowly beaten in his by Australia’s 20-year-old Cam Myers, whose qualifying time was nearly five seconds quicker than Kerr’s. Australia also has another major contender in 2022 champion Olli Hoare, who reached the final after successfully appealing following an early trip in his heat. Pundit Steve Cram expects a closely contested race rather than a dominant winner, drawing parallels with the celebrated 1954 “Miracle Mile”.