Owen Miller to run for GB at Paris World Para Athletics Championships

The 31-year-old, who memorably struck gold at the delayed 2021 Games in Tokyo, is aiming to be in contention for a podium place at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, which begins on Saturday in Paris.

Owen, a former pupil at Woodmill High School, will be joined in representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the competition by two of his training group peers – who will also run in the same event.

Fife AC star Owen, who became Paralympic champion over 1500 meters in the T20 classification two years ago, will go up against club-mate, Ben Sandilands, and Steven Bryce, of the Victoria Park City of Glasgow club.

All three work with coach, Steve Doig, and attend training sessions on the track at Pitreavie Athletics Centre.

Whilst it is a first World Para Athletics Championships for both Ben – who Owen dubbed as “the main main” – and Steven, it will be a second taste of the competition for Owen, who made his GB debut in the 2019 event in Dubai.

There, he finished sixth in his event, before going on to win a stunning gold on his Paralympic Games debut, and he is aiming for an improvement on his last appearance at the world championships.

Speaking to Press Sport at Pitreavie ahead of travelling to France with the GB and NI squad, Owen said: “I’m feeling good in the build-up because I’ve trained hard and put the hard work in.

“This will be my second worlds, because I did one in Dubai in 2019, so I’m hoping for bigger things. I finished sixth, so I’m hoping to go better.

“I’m in good condition, so I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing. I’ve still got the hype (of the Paralympics). I’m doing well and there’s a lot of big things this year.”

He continued: “I’m looking forward to getting myself out there and showing them what I’m made of. 2023 is going to be an epic year for me.

“I’ve ran against a few of them before. Some of them were at the Paralympics in Tokyo. We’re training with people that are younger, like 16-year-olds, so it’s bringing us on, us older ones as well.

“It’s good to have these two (Ben and Steven) coming. It’s their first one, it’s their first time experience of the hype, so it’ll be good.”

When asked about his preparation in the build-up to the championships, Owen added: “Just training.

“There’s been a couple of competitions, but mostly training to get myself ready.

“There’s going to be lots of competition. People are going to be competing with each other – I’m going to be getting pushed about, barged about a bit more, so I’m going to have to get my elbows out!

“I’m excited. I’m excited for going away and getting a good run out, so will see how it goes and try my best.”

Owen joined Steve’s endurance running group in 2016, with Ben having joined prior, and Steven arriving last spring, and went on to receive an MBE, and be named both scottishathletics’ Para Athlete of the Year, and Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council’s Sports Personality of the Year, for 2021.

Steve admitted he would find watching the trio take to the track hard, but believes their achievements in being selected for the squad can act as inspiration to others within the sport, or those who have ambitions to embark on a sporting journey.

“It just shows what you can achieve if you put your mind to it, and if you’re prepared to dedicate yourself to a sport,” he said.

“He’s said it before – you don’t know what you’re going to achieve, you’ve just got to get out there and try.

“It’s great for the group. It’s compliment to all the people that train with them and help them. They help the group as well, but it is a nice thing for the group.

“Ben’s actually been training with me for, we reckon, 10 years now. Owen’s about six now, so Ben started when he was nine-and-a-half. He’s come through, and then Steven’s more recent; Steven joined us in spring 2022.

“I think I’ll be watching it through fingers over my eyes! It’ll be a great experience. It’s lucky to have three people in the same event.”